If you think “a lot” is the best way to express abundance, think again!
The English language is overflowing with idioms that can capture the essence of excess in a much more interesting way.
Learning these idioms not only broadens your linguistic horizons but also allows you to express yourself with greater creativity and impact.
In this article, we will uncover a selection of idioms for a lot, giving you fresh ways to articulate abundance in your daily interactions.
✅ The 30 Idioms for A Lot
1. A dime a dozen
The meaning: Extremely common or easily found.
Origin: 19th‑century U.S. pricing—dimes for a dozen eggs.
In a sentence:
- Those budget smartphones are a dime a dozen these days.
- Good coffee shops are a dime a dozen in this city.
- Inspirational quotes online are a dime a dozen.
Other ways to say:
- Plenty of
- Ten a penny
- Common as dirt
2. A boatload
The meaning: A large amount.
Origin: Literal boats carrying heavy cargo.
In a sentence:
- She brought a boatload of snacks to the party.
- I have a boatload of emails to reply to.
- He spent a boatload of money on his new computer.
Other ways to say:
- Loads of
- A ton of
- Heaps of
3. A truckload
The meaning: A very large quantity.
Origin: Cargo capacity imagery.
In a sentence:
- They ordered a truckload of supplies.
- She’s got a truckload of work waiting.
- We collected a truckload of donations.
Other ways to say:
- A ton of
- Gobs of
- Oodles of
4. Tons of
The meaning: A great deal of something.
Origin: Metric slang exaggeration from weight.
In a sentence:
- We received tons of feedback.
- She has tons of energy after the holiday.
- There are tons of movies to watch.
Other ways to say:
- A lot of
- Loads of
- Heaps of
5. Loads of
The meaning: A large amount or number.
Origin: Shipping or carrying reference.
In a sentence:
- We’ve got loads of time before the flight.
- He offered loads of suggestions.
- They have loads of experience.
Other ways to say:
- Tons of
- Plenty of
- A plethora of
6. A plethora of
The meaning: An excessive or large amount.
Origin: Greek “plethore” meaning overfull.
In a sentence:
- She owns a plethora of shoes.
- There’s a plethora of apps for that.
- The library offers a plethora of resources.
Other ways to say:
- A wealth of
- An abundance of
- A myriad of
7. A wealth of
The meaning: A large supply of something valuable.
Origin: “Wealth” meaning abundance.
In a sentence:
- The guide provides a wealth of information.
- She has a wealth of experience in teaching.
- They offer a wealth of services.
Other ways to say:
- A trove of
- A treasure trove of
- An abundance of
8. A boatload of
The meaning: A very large amount.
Origin: Already covered above (#2).
In a sentence:
- They have a boatload of problems ahead.
- We brought a boatload of gifts.
- He earned a boatload of praise.
Other ways to say:
- A shipload of
- Loads of
- Tons of
9. A shipload of
The meaning: A large quantity.
Origin: Nautical term, cargo ship full capacity.
In a sentence:
- They delivered a shipload of books.
- We encountered a shipload of problems.
- He made a shipload of mistakes.
Other ways to say:
- A boatload of
- Loads of
- Tons of
10. A mountain of
The meaning: A huge amount, often overwhelming.
Origin: Visual metaphor of mountain-size pile.
In a sentence:
- There’s a mountain of paperwork to finish.
- She faces a mountain of debt.
- He’s got a mountain of unread emails.
Other ways to say:
- A heap of
- An avalanche of
- An ocean of
11. A heap of
The meaning: A lot, often disorganized or piled.
Origin: Old English “heapan”, pile or mass.
In a sentence:
- She has a heap of assignments to do.
- There’s a heap of laundry waiting.
- He faced a heap of criticism.
Other ways to say:
- A pile of
- A lot of
- A slew of
12. A slew of
The meaning: A large number or quantity.
Origin: Variant of “slough,” meaning a large/messy amount.
In a sentence:
- We received a slew of complaints.
- There’s been a slew of updates lately.
- He’s tried a slew of diets.
Other ways to say:
- A flood of
- An array of
- A multitude of
13. A flood of
The meaning: A sudden or overwhelming amount.
Origin: Literal flood analogy.
In a sentence:
- A flood of messages came in after the announcement.
- She felt a flood of relief.
- They received a flood of orders overnight.
Other ways to say:
- A torrent of
- An influx of
- A wave of
14. A torrent of
The meaning: A heavy outpouring or large stream.
Origin: Waterfall/stream metaphor.
In a sentence:
- A torrent of criticism followed the policy change.
- He unleashed a torrent of complaints.
- We received a torrent of support.
Other ways to say:
- A deluge of
- A flood of
- An avalanche of
15. An ocean of
The meaning: A vast, almost immeasurable amount.
Origin: Ocean as a metaphor for enormity.
In a sentence:
- There’s an ocean of possibilities ahead.
- He felt lost in an ocean of paperwork.
- They’ve created an ocean of opportunities.
Other ways to say:
- An ocean of…
- A sea of…
- An endless amount of…
16. A sea of
The meaning: A very large quantity, especially seen visually.
Origin: Visual metaphor of vastness like the sea.
In a sentence:
- There was a sea of people at the concert.
- A sea of files covered his desk.
- She saw a sea of applications for the job.
Other ways to say:
- An ocean of
- A flood of
- A mass of
17. A wealth of
The meaning: A very large amount—especially of knowledge or resources.
Origin: “Wealth” implies abundance and richness.
In a sentence:
- The museum contains a wealth of information.
- She has a wealth of contacts in the industry.
- There’s a wealth of data to analyze.
Other ways to say:
- An abundance of
- A treasure trove of
- A plethora of
18. A ton of
The meaning: A very large amount.
Origin: Weight metaphor implying heaviness.
In a sentence:
- I’ve got a ton of work to do.
- She ate a ton of popcorn during the movie.
- They donated a ton of clothes to the shelter.
Other ways to say:
- A lot of
- Loads of
- Tons of
19. A glut of
The meaning: An excessive or oversupply of something.
Origin: Economic term for oversupply.
In a sentence:
- There’s a glut of cheap watches on the market.
- The internet created a glut of information.
- They are dealing with a glut of applications.
Other ways to say:
- An oversupply of
- A surplus of
- A profusion of
20. An embarrassment of riches
The meaning: Too much of a good thing.
Origin: 18th-century phrase meaning to be overwhelmed by abundance.
In a sentence:
- They have an embarrassment of riches when choosing suppliers.
- The buffet offered an embarrassment of riches.
- She faced an embarrassment of riches selecting her favorite book.
Other ways to say:
- An overabundance
- Too many choices
- More than enough
21. A galaxy of
The meaning: A very large number, especially of stars or people.
Origin: Astronomical metaphor for countless stars.
In a sentence:
- A galaxy of stars attended the premiere.
- She recruited a galaxy of experts.
- There’s a galaxy of ideas floating around.
Other ways to say:
- A constellation of
- An array of
- A host of
22. A legion of
The meaning: A large, often countless, number of people or things.
Origin: From Roman legion—large military unit.
In a sentence:
- A legion of fans applauded the band.
- There’s a legion of reasons to visit.
- He has a legion of supporters.
Other ways to say:
- A multitude of
- A crowd of
- A host of
23. A swarm of
The meaning: A large group moving together, e.g., people or insects.
Origin: Typically used for bees or flies.
In a sentence:
- A swarm of tourists descended on the museum.
- There was a swarm of reporters at the press conference.
- A swarm of bees attacked the hive.
Other ways to say:
- A crowd of
- A mass of
- A horde of
24. A horde of
The meaning: A large and often unruly crowd.
Origin: From nomadic groups considered wild or dangerous.
In a sentence:
- A horde of shoppers rushed the entrance.
- A horde of fans waited outside.
- The team faced a horde of questions.
Other ways to say:
- A swarm of
- A crowd of
- A mob of
25. A bundle of
The meaning: A lot, often used for energy or joy.
Origin: Medieval use for tied bundles.
In a sentence:
- She’s a bundle of energy.
- The puppy was a bundle of joy.
- He gave them a bundle of toys.
Other ways to say:
- A bunch of
- A lot of
- A myriad of
26. A slew of
The meaning: A large number or quantity.
Origin: As above in #12.
In a sentence:
- They encountered a slew of challenges.
- A slew of invitations arrived.
- He’s tried a slew of gadgets.
Other ways to say:
- A lot of
- Tons of
- Loads of
27. A pack of
The meaning: A large group (often animals or people).
Origin: Pack of wolves or dogs.
In a sentence:
- A pack of wolves surrounded the prey.
- A pack of teenagers hung out on the street.
- He brought a pack of cookies.
Other ways to say:
- A group of
- A bunch of
- A crowd of
28. A cluster of
The meaning: A group or collection close together.
Origin: From botany—cluster of grapes, flowers.
In a sentence:
- A cluster of stars shone brightly.
- A cluster of houses lined the road.
- We saw a cluster of ideas form.
Other ways to say:
- A group of
- A bunch of
- A collection of
29. A barrage of
The meaning: A large number delivered quickly or continuously.
Origin: Military term for heavy artillery fire.
In a sentence:
- They faced a barrage of questions.
- A barrage of calls followed the ad release.
- He received a barrage of criticism online.
Other ways to say:
- A deluge of
- A flood of
- An onslaught of
30. A plethora of
The meaning: A large or excessive amount.
Origin: Covered above in #6.
In a sentence:
- They have a plethora of options to choose from.
- A plethora of resources is available online.
- We faced a plethora of challenges.
Other ways to say:
- An abundance of
- A wealth of
- A myriad of
✅ 10 Practice Exercises on Idioms for A Lot (Fill in the Blanks)
Fill in the blanks with the correct idioms from the list above:
- She has __________ of ideas for the project.
- After the sale, they received __________ of orders.
- The city offers __________ of restaurants to choose from.
- There’s __________ laundry waiting after the trip.
- We faced __________ of questions during the Q&A.
- The store is overflowing with __________ of new shoes.
- A __________ of sheep blocked the road.
- He owns __________ expensive gadgets.
- They provided __________ information on the topic.
- We saw __________ stars in the sky.
Answer Key
- a boatload (or a plethora)
- a barrage (or a flood)
- a plethora of
- a heap of
- a barrage of
- a glut of
- a pack of
- a ton of
- a wealth of
- a galaxy of
Idioms for A Lot (Summary)
Now that you’ve learned these idioms for a lot, try using them in everyday conversations and writing.
The more you practice, the more natural they’ll become.
Keep exploring new expressions to broaden your vocabulary and sound more like a native speaker.
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