so much

A large amount of something, sometimes more than is needed or wanted.

• There is so much food!
• Why did you spend so much money?
• We wasted so much time yesterday.

How to use it: so much + uncountable noun (Why is there so much traffic today?)

Similar words: a lot of

Opposites: little

Common phrases: so much money, so much time, so much food

An amount large enough to make something else happen.

• There was so much noise that I woke up.
• She had so much work that she missed lunch.
• We bought so much food that the fridge was full.

How to use it: so much + noun + that… (There was so much rain that the road flooded.)

Common phrases: so much rain, so much noise, so much work

An amount compared with another amount, usually to say that it is smaller.

• There is not so much snow as last year.
• We do not have so much time as you do.
• The garden never needed so much water before.

How to use it: not so much + noun + as… (There is not so much traffic as there was yesterday.)

Similar words: as much

Common phrases: so much as before, so much water, so much space

The amount of something being shown or indicated.

• Use just so much flour, as shown here.
• She poured so much water, pointing to the mark.
• Add only so much sugar, as I have measured here.

How to use it: just/only so much + noun (Use just so much flour, as I am showing you.)

Similar words: this much, that much

Common phrases: just so much flour, only so much water, so much sugar

A large amount of something already mentioned or understood.

• Why did you eat so much?
• I wanted some help, but I never expected so much.
• This bread is cheap; you need not pay so much.

Similar words: a lot

Opposites: little

Common phrases: eat so much, spend so much, need so much, so much of something

To a very great degree.

• I love you so much.
• She missed her friends so much.
• Thank you so much for your help.

Similar words: very much, a lot

Opposites: little

Common phrases: love someone so much, miss someone so much, thank someone so much

To the degree mentioned or noticed, often more than someone wants.

• Please stop shouting so much.
• Why do you worry so much?
• His knee never used to hurt so much.

Similar words: that much, to that extent

Common phrases: complain so much, worry so much, talk so much

To a degree great enough to cause a particular result.

• I laughed so much that I cried.
• His foot hurt so much that he could not walk.
• The town has changed so much that I hardly recognize it.

How to use it: verb + so much that… (She laughed so much that she could not speak.)

Common phrases: laugh so much, hurt so much, change so much