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'More than' and 'over' mean the same with numbers in modern English; the difference is one of register.
Side-by-side comparison
"More than" and "over" are almost always interchangeable to indicate a quantity greater than a number. In most contexts, both are correct.
More than fifty people applied for the job in the first two days.
He runs more than twenty kilometres a week to stay in shape.
I waited more than an hour for the bus, which was extremely frustrating.
The difference shows in very specific contexts: "over" can imply physical movement above something, and in formal figures "more than" sounds slightly more precise.
Over five hundred people attended the concert and the atmosphere was incredible.
She has been studying English for over three years and has made great progress.
The temperature dropped to over ten degrees below zero during the storm.
Common mistake
- •In formal and academic text, use "more than" with numbers: "more than 500 employees".
- •"Over 500 employees" is acceptable in journalistic and informal texts.
- •And "over complex" is wrong for degree; use "more than complex" or "overly complex".
Trick to remember it
- •Picture a formal report vs a newspaper headline: reports write "more than 500 attendees" (always safe). Headlines use "Over 500 attend rally" to save space.
- •With adjectives, "over" breaks down: "more than capable" ✓ — never "over capable".
Quick rule
- •"More than" = formal with numbers and with adjectives.
- •"Over" = informal/journalistic with numbers.
- •With adjectives: only "more than" (not "over").
Did you know?
In 2014, the AP Stylebook (the most influential style guide in North American journalism) reversed its stance and announced that OVER would be accepted as a synonym for MORE THAN with numbers, ending a prohibition that had lasted decades. The reaction in American newsrooms was mixed: some journalists celebrated it as a healthy descriptivist decision; others lamented it as the end of a useful distinction. Before 2014, editors at the New York Times, AP, and other outlets systematically changed "over" to "more than" in numerical texts. This small stylistic battle is a perfect example of how linguistic norms evolve and are formally codified.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She waited for _____ an hour before the doctor was ready to see her.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
This project will cost _____ £5,000. We need extra budget.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
The comparative compares two things; the superlative designates the extreme in a group of three or more.
'How much' asks about uncountable nouns; 'how many' asks about countable nouns.
'Most' indicates the majority of something; 'almost' means 'nearly' and modifies adjectives, verbs, or numbers.
'A' is used before consonant sounds; 'an' is used before vowel sounds.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy