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a handful of people vs few people

Both 'a handful of people' and 'few people' are correct phrases, but they convey slightly different meanings. 'A handful of people' implies a small, specific number of people, usually more than 'few people.' 'Few people' simply indicates a small number without specifying an exact quantity.

Last updated: March 20, 2024 • 994 views

a handful of people

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to a small, specific number of people.

'A handful of people' is used to describe a small group of individuals, often implying that the number is limited but not necessarily very few.

Examples:

  • Only a handful of people attended the meeting.
  • She invited a handful of people to her birthday party.
  • A handful of people were involved in the project.
  • There were just a handful of people waiting in line.
  • He could count on a handful of people for support.
  • A small, undefined number or quantity: only a handful of people on the street. 3. Informal One that is difficult to control or handle: The hyperactive toddler is a real  ...
  • 2 : a small quantity or number <a handful of people>. 3 : as much as one can manage <the kids are quite a handful>. See handful defined for English- language ...
  • Feb 21, 2012 ... There are some people outside. There is a group... There is a group of people outside. There is a handful... There is a handful of people outside ...
  • A small, undefined number or quantity: only a handful of people on the street. Informal One that is difficult to control or handle: The hyperactive toddler is a real  ...

Alternatives:

  • a small group of people
  • a select few individuals
  • a limited number of people
  • a small number of individuals
  • a small crowd

few people

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a small number of people without specifying an exact quantity.

'Few people' is a simple way to express that there is a small number of individuals, without providing a specific count.

Examples:

  • Few people showed up for the event.
  • There were few people in the audience.
  • He had few people he could trust.
  • Few people understand the complexity of the issue.
  • There are few people who can solve this problem.
  • Dec 9, 2023 ... In this context, few by itself would convey the sense of only. So Only few people came sounds a bit odd. The most natural, at least in ...
  • Jul 6, 2024 ... "very few people" would play a Morrowind-style open world nowadays, as teams need to "support" two kinds of players · Comments Section.
  • Aug 29, 2024 ... I moved to a sleepy town with few people my age. My new friends – some elderly – have changed my life. This article is more than 1 month old.
  • Jul 8, 2024 ... 'Very few' people would play a Morrowind-style RPG with 'no compass, no map' and a reliance on quest text, says ESO director, 'which is kind of sad'
  • Being Alone has a Power that Very few People can Handle. Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I was afraid ...
  • Feb 11, 2020 ... 2M likes, 196K comments - danbilzerian on February 11, 2020: "Gonna fly a few people out for @ignite party on Thursday, tag your crew".
  • Transfer just a few people from one tree to another? Help · Mihle November 10, 2020, 8:10pm 1. Whats the best way to transfer like 6 ish people from one ...
  • Sep 25, 2024 ... Few people know what they like about work, and if they do, HR teams don't know about it. Consider The PX Test: A Snapshot of Organizational Health.
  • Aug 20, 2017 ... My mother passed from cancer in November 2020 and because of the pandemic very few people showed up. I still feel the sting of injustice at ...
  • Oct 13, 2020 ... What Is Love? I Asked A Few People ... Do you want to know what's funny to me? There's never really a “last” goodbye, is there? Only unsuspecting ...

Alternatives:

  • a small number of people
  • not many people
  • a limited number of individuals
  • scant individuals
  • a sparse crowd

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