more or less

English

Alternative forms

• more-or-less

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /mɔɹ ɔɹ lɛs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adverb

more or less (not comparable)

2. Approximately.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:approximately

   There were a hundred people in the room, more or less.

   • 1992, Rudolf M Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 5:

     The sporophyte foot is also characteristic: it is very broad and more or less lenticular or disciform, as broad or broader than the calyptra stalk […] , and is sessile on the calyptra base […]

4. Almost.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:almost

   I've more or less guaranteed myself a top mark in my final exams.

6. To varying extents, across instances; to an extent that varies among cases.

   [X] is always more or less of a [Y]

   Entrepreneurship is always more or less of a gamble.

   • 1927, Elbert Hubbard, The Notebook of Elbert Hubbard: Mottos, Epigrams, Short Essays, Passages, Orphic Sayings and Preachments: Coined from a Life of Love, Laugher and Work‎, William H. Wise and Company, page 197:

     The weaknesses of the many make the leader possible—and the man who craves disciples and wants followers is always more or less of a charlatan. The man of genuine worth and insight wants to be himself; and he wants others to be themselves, also. Discipleship is a degenerating process to all parties concerned. People who are able to do their own thinking should not allow others to do it for them.

Translations

Further reading

• “more or less”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.