more
/ˈmɔː/
This word functions as a tool for comparison and expansion. It signals a shift from a current state to a higher volume, intensity, or frequency. It often carries a sense of insufficiency or a desire for growth. In conversational settings, it frequently conveys urgency or frustration when paired with negatives, as in "no more," which transforms the concept of addition into a hard limit or a breaking point.
💬Casual Conversation
Do you want more cream in your latte?
Yes please, just a little more.
Meanings
Examples
I just can't take any more of this noise!
Look, I need more coffee before we start this meeting.
Wait, there is more to the story than you told.
You want more money? Just ask your boss directly!
I swear, I cannot handle one more mistake today.
Do you think we need more evidence for the case?
God, I just want more time with her!
Seriously, who needs more sprinkles on a single cupcake?
Listen, I need more than a simple apology right now.
Is there more cake left in the kitchen?
Collocations & Compounds
more or less
approximately
The project is more or less finished.
more than enough
an abundance
We have more than enough food for everyone.
more and more
increasingly
It is becoming more and more difficult to ignore.
more often than not
usually
More often than not, he forgets his keys.
one more time
a final repetition
Can you please play that song one more time?
Idioms & Sayings
more power to you
expression of approval for a bold choice
If you want to quit your job, more power to you.
the more the merrier
more people make an event better
Bring your friends along; the more the merrier!
more than meets the eye
hidden complexity
There is definitely more than meets the eye here.
Cultural Context
The Psychology of More: The Hedonic Treadmill
The human drive for more is a fundamental aspect of our evolutionary psychology, often described by researchers as the hedonic treadmill. This phenomenon explains why, after achieving a goal or acquiring a new possession, the initial spike of happiness eventually fades, returning us to a baseline level of contentment. We then seek more achievements or more wealth to recapture that high, creating a perpetual cycle of desire.<br><br>This biological imperative was once a survival mechanism; the ancestors who sought more food or more secure shelter were the ones who survived. However, in the modern era of abundance, this drive often manifests as consumerism. The tragedy of the treadmill is that the goalposts of satisfaction constantly shift. When we obtain more of what we thought we wanted, our expectations rise, and the current state becomes the new normal, leaving us perpetually craving more to feel a sense of progress.