4

Are 'more than once' and 'many times' interchangeable? Do they have the same or similar sense? In addition, I don't know where to put them in a sentense. Where do you usually put them in the sentence?

I want to use something similar to 'more then once' in a sense of "many times" in my speech. But I would like to say an idiom or a phraseological unit with the meaning of 'many times'.

This law firm advised oil and gas companies more than once [many times] on the anticorruption and fraud issues.

Improve this question
2
  • 1
    The two can actually be used in combination, if you wanted to emphasize that the warnings had been repeated on multiple occasions over time. This law firm advised oil and gas companies more than once – in fact, many times – on the anticorruption and fraud issues. I wouldn't overuse that phrasing, but it can be found on the web and in a few books.
    – J.R. ♦
    Commented Nov 13, 2014 at 19:51
  • Ok. They can be used in combination. By the way, I didn't mean "warnings". Actually, the law firm provides professional advice or recommendations for clients.
    – user11470
    Commented Nov 14, 2014 at 8:57

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
5

These two expressions can have similar meanings, but do not necessarily have them. More than once could mean only twice, and many times always means more than that.. If you wish to convey the message of many times, then use that expression, or say exactly how many times they advised the companies.

Improve this answer
4
  • Thanks for the explanation. Where do you think I should write 'many times' in my example? Have I chosen the correct place to write it in the sentence?
    – user11470
    Commented Nov 13, 2014 at 11:11
  • 1
    I often use "several" to mean more than once or twice, but less than "many".
    – Marv Mills
    Commented Nov 13, 2014 at 12:02
  • 2
    @Humbulani. I'd place it where you did, after 'oil and gas companies. There are other possibilities, but that's my preference. It's also possible, and clear, after 'law firm'.
    – tunny
    Commented Nov 13, 2014 at 12:22
  • Interesting... In French, "more than once" ("plus d'une fois") always means "many times" (a kind of litotes), except when used for a frequency ("more than once a week"). If said "I've done it more than once... Twice, actually." in French, it would sound like a joke.
    – hsandt
    Commented Jul 14, 2020 at 10:31

You must log in to answer this question.