ample

1 of 2

adjective

am·​ple ˈam-pəl How to pronounce ample (audio)
ampler ˈam-p(ə-)lər How to pronounce ample (audio) ; amplest ˈam-p(ə-)ləst How to pronounce ample (audio)
Synonyms of ample
1
: generous or more than adequate in size, scope, or capacity
There was room for an ample garden.
2
: generously sufficient to satisfy a requirement or need
They had ample money for the trip.
3
: buxom, portly
an ample figure
ampleness
ˈam-pəl-nəs How to pronounce ample (audio)
noun
amply
ˈam-plē How to pronounce ample (audio)
adverb

ampleness

2 of 2

noun

am·​ple·​ness ˈam-pəl-nəs How to pronounce ampleness (audio)
plural -es
: the quality or state of being ample

Synonyms of ample

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for ample

spacious, commodious, capacious, ample mean larger in extent or capacity than the average.

spacious implies great length and breadth.

a spacious front lawn

commodious stresses roominess and comfortableness.

a commodious and airy penthouse apartment

capacious stresses the ability to hold, contain, or retain more than the average.

a capacious suitcase

ample implies having a greater size, expanse, or amount than that deemed adequate.

ample closet space

plentiful, ample, abundant, copious mean more than sufficient without being excessive.

plentiful implies a great or rich supply.

peaches are plentiful this summer

ample implies a generous sufficiency to satisfy a particular requirement.

ample food to last the winter

abundant suggests an even greater or richer supply than does plentiful.

streams abundant with fish

copious stresses largeness of supply rather than fullness or richness.

copious examples of bureaucratic waste

Examples of ample in a Sentence

Adjective They had ample money for the trip. The police found ample evidence of wrongdoing. There is ample parking at the stadium. You will have ample opportunity to finish the test. The light in the room is more than ample. There was room for an ample garden. an ample serving of pie
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
These active pups are happiest when spending ample time outdoors exerting themselves. — Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026 Southern and Lovelace make ample use of archive footage from the Gallaghers’ 90s heyday. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026 Lounging and relaxing poolside is taken very seriously with an ample supply of chaise lounges and umbrellas lining all four pools (three family pools and one adults-only pool), and an adjacent private beach and lagoon. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Sep. 2026 Liquid cooling is the solution, with ample runway still ahead. — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ample

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, "abundant," borrowed from Anglo-French, "wide, extensive, great," going back to Latin amplus "more than adequate in size or extent, great, having wide scope (of the mind or other abstract entities)," of uncertain origin

Note: M. de Vaan (Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages, Brill, 2008) sees amplus going back to *am-lo-, a derivative of a verb base *am- going back to Indo-European *h2emh3- "take hold of" (see amateur). Semantically this hypothesis works well, though it requires that the more likely form *am-a-lo- would have undergone early syncope. The word ampla, supposedly meaning "handle," would be corroboration; however, attestations for ampla are post-classical, excepting an apparent metaphorical employment in the sense "opportunity" by Cicero.

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1566, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ample was in the 15th century

Rhymes for ample

See All Rhymes for ample

Browse Nearby Words

ampicillin
ample
amplectic
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Cite this Entry

“Ample.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ample. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ample

adjective
am·​ple ˈam-pəl How to pronounce ample (audio)
ampler -p(ə-)lər How to pronounce ample (audio) ; amplest -p(ə-)ləst How to pronounce ample (audio)
1
: generous in size, scope, or capacity : copious
ample room for a garden
2
: enough to satisfy a need
ample money for the trip
ampleness noun
amply
-plē How to pronounce ample (audio)
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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