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  3. Commonly Confused Words
  4. More than vs. Over
Commonly Confused Words

More than vs. Over

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Is it “more than 100 people” or “over 100 people”? Good news: in most cases, both are correct! But here’s how to choose the best one for your sentence 🧠

More than

More than is used to talk about quantity or amounts — especially when you're comparing numbers, time, money, or size.

  • It took more than two hours to finish. ⏰
  • She has more than 10 years of experience.
  • We spent more than $200 on groceries.

Use more than when you’re focusing on the amount or comparison itself.

Over

Over can also mean “more than” when talking about numbers, but it's also used with physical position or movement.

  • Over 1 million people watched the video. 📹
  • The cat jumped over the fence. 🐱
  • We talked for over three hours!

Use over when you're talking about quantity, but also when something is physically above something else.

💡 Style note: In formal writing, “more than” is still often preferred with numbers — but in everyday English, “over” is totally fine!

💡 Tip

Both are okay for numbers — especially in modern English!
Use “more than” when comparing.
Use “over” when it can also mean “above” or “across.”

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