How to Properly Use The Word “Myriad” In A Sentence

“Myriad” is a Greek word “mrios”, which means countless, or myrioi, which means ten thousand. The ten thousand brackets mean a considerable number. It doesn’t have to be ten thousand; it may be less or more than ten thousand. In other words, a huge number of things or people that are too large to count or have an exact number.

To use “myriad,” correctly the person who writes it must understand the noun and adjective perspective. These include ideas, possibilities, challenges, factors, options, and others. The user must also stipulate within the sentence that the mentioned items, things, or people number cannot easily be determined.

The “myriad” sentences should imply the prescribed number cannot be easily counted. The number should be huge for the naked eye to count. Other dynamics must be applied when it comes to using “myriad” in sentences which the article will address.

“Myriad” Definition

The term “myriad” is used to refer to an unspecified number. The number that is referred is in abundance, hence, making it difficult to count. “Myriad” can be accompanied by either “a,” or “the.”

When it comes to usage, it can be either a noun or adjective; it all depends on what you’re using “myriad” to refer to. The sentence structure for the adjective is extremely different from that of nouns.

Examples of Adjective Sentences

•  John said that he would never count the myriad blessings he has received.
•  The myriad lights in New York remind me of my days in Munich.
• The myriad of colors in the sunset was breathtakingly beautiful.

Examples of Noun Sentences

•  Timothy and Vera discussed myriad topics in the debate.
• The forest was home to a myriad of different animal species.
•  My cousin owns a myriad of cabs, don’t be afraid.

Synonyms of “myriad”

It’s not a must to use “myriad” in referring to a huge number in a sentence. There are other terms that can take its place. The words have a similar meaning or reference as “myriad.” The words include:

•  Mass
•  Swarm
•  Crowd
•  Scores
•  Limitless
•  Immeasurable
•  Throng
•  Countless
•  Infinite
•  Multitude
•  Definite
•  lots

How to Properly Use The Word “Myriad” In A Sentence

Many people are bright, they speak well, but writing becomes an uphill task. That is the same case with sentences that involve “myriad.” This is because users tend to commit spelling, capitalizing, and punctuating errors.  In a sentence, myriad should not be capitalized. Most people tend to commit this mistake.

Example

•  The girl committed a Myriad mistakes (incorrect sentence)

The girl committed myriad mistakes (correct sentence)

•  The Myriad sand in the path makes it difficult to pass (incorrect sentence)

The myriad sand in the path makes it difficult to pass (correct sentence)

“Myriad” can also not be applied at the start of a sentence.

Example

•  Myriad of emotions flooded over Dennis’s dead (incorrect sentence)

The myriad of emotions flooded over Dennis’s dead (correct sentence)

•  Myriad of pages made it difficult to read the piece (incorrect sentence)

The myriad of pages made it difficult to read the piece (correct sentence)

When using the term “myriad,” the other rule is that it cannot be used at the end of the sentence.

Example

•  The issue is so complicated; in fact, the errors that were committed were myriad (incorrect sentence)

The issue is so complicated; in fact it they committed myriad errors (correct sentence)

• We are close to the end of the world; the problems are myriad (incorrect sentence)
• We are close to the end of the world; there are myriad problems (sentence)

Plural of “myriad.”

Is “myriad” a plural word or its myriads? This is the question that ponders many minds. The issue is a bit complicated, but it’s worth knowing. In some cases, myriads can be the plural of “myriad.” In fact, Merriam-Webster accepts myriads as the plural of “myriad.”

A study conducted by Google Ngram shows that myriads are more common in today’s world, and also in the old sources, “myriads of myriads” are common.

In this case, you should have a look at the holy book, the Bible. When it comes to the Bible, some translations use the term myriads.

Example

•  Daniel 7:10, if you read the King James Version, the Bible writes, “ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him.”

Other translations replace the “ten thousand times ten thousand” phrase with “myriads upon myriads” and “ten thousand of myriads.”

•  On the other hand, in “Paradise Lost,” John uses Myriads as the plural of “myriad.”

He writes, “..who in the happy realms of light clothed with transcendent brightness didst outshine myriads though bright….”

From the above examples, it can be safely said that myriads can be the plural of “myriad” in a sentence. All you should do is ensure that myriads’ application is natural, which can be a bit difficult. But you should not forget that “myriad” itself is a plural word.

Example

•  The sky has a myriad stars.
• The sentence implies that the sky has countless stars; hence, myriad play the plural role.
•  The sea has a myriad aquatic animals.
• Myriad implies a huge number of animals; this is another plural aspect of myriad

Common Mistakes That Are Applied with “myriad.”

“Myriad” can be used both as an adjective or noun and refers to countless things. While many people know the meaning, they tend to use the word wrongly. The common mistakes that are related to “myriad” are “of” related. What does this mean?

This means that if you are using “of” after “myriad,” from today, subsequently, you should stop it. It should be noted that the word can be either a noun or an adjective referring to an indefinite number. Therefore, why the add-ons?

Examples

• Our government supports a myriad of projects throughout Europe (wrong sentence)
• Our government supports a myriad projects throughout Europe (correct sentence)
• The crew has mastered the art of using a myriad of social media campaigns (wrong sentence)
• The crew has mastered the art of using myriad social media campaigns (correct sentence)
• In the summer, I usually see a myriad of stars in the sky (Wrong sentence)
• In the summer, I usually see myriad stars in the sky (correct sentence)
• The above examples show that “myriad” itself can complete the job; it doesn’t need “of,” hence, in your sentences, you should avoid such add-ons.

Other Sentence Examples of “myriad.”

• The startup faced a myriad of challenges in its early days but eventually found success.
• Vegetables have myriad health benefits; try them; maybe you lack some iron.
• The startup faced a myriad of challenges in its early days but eventually found success.
• The night sky was dotted with a myriad of stars, each one shining brightly.
• The ocean is home to a myriad of fascinating creatures, from tiny plankton to massive whales.
• The university offers a myriad of courses to its students, covering a wide range of subjects.
•  There is no specific way to reduce stress but engaging yourself in myriad activities will help.
• The entrepreneur faced a myriad of obstacles in launching his new business.
• The garden was filled with a myriad of colorful flowers, each one more beautiful than the last.
• The musician used a myriad of instruments to create a unique sound that captivated audiences.
• The writer drew inspiration from a myriad of sources, including nature, literature, and personal experience.

Final Thoughts

After reading the piece, what next? Or what should you do? First, in your sentences, if you want to stay safe, and avoid criticism from some quarters, avoid two things in your sentences when applying the word “myriad,” “myriad of” and “myriads.” But on the other hand, it should be noted that “myriads of” or “myriad” are plenty in English platforms; this means they are correct in one way or another; therefore, you should also not criticize other users.

The term is complex, and the user should be keen on the words that come before and after it. They should also be a proper understanding of how the term should be used as an adjective and noun. So, with the above instructions, the term ‘myriad’ should be used appropriately in all sentences.