"few people" vs "a handful of people"

Question

"few people" vs "a handful of 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

'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.

Alternatives:

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

'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.

Alternatives:

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

Answer 1

few people

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

Answer 2

a handful of people

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

"few people" vs "a handful of people"

few people

a handful of people

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