Few is usedemployed for a purpose or function in a sentence or context to talk about a small number of things or people. It can also be a nouna word that names a person, place, thing, or idea meaning a small, selectchosen carefully from a larger set; not ordinary or common group of people.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /fju/
Easy pronunciation: FYOO (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable; the vowel is stressed.
Adjective meaning a small but indefinite number.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Few Meaning
not many; a small number
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: a small but indefinite number of people or things
Example: A few friends came over after dinner.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Few
Meaning 2
a small select group of people
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a small elite group
Example: The event was open to the discriminating few.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Few Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- not many
- a small number
a small elite group
- the select few
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse few with a few. Few usually suggests a smaller number than expected, while a few means some.
- Few is not the same as little: few is used with countable nouns, while little is used with uncountable nouns.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does few mean?
Few usually means not many or a small number of people or things.
What is the difference between few and a few?
Few often suggests a smaller number than expected, sometimes with a negative tone. A few means some, and it is usually more neutral or positive.
Is few a noun or an adjective?
Few can be an adjective, and it can also be a noun meaning a small elite group.
What are the synonyms of few?
For the main meaning, few can be replaced by phrases like not many or a small number. For the noun sense, a phrase like the select few fits best.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
