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Meanings of quite in English

Of an unusually noticeable or exceptional or remarkable kind (not used with a negative)

To a degree (not used with a negative)

Synonyms
Examples for "quite a"
Examples for "quite a"
1
The second year we saw quite a bit of improvement, he said.
Reuters
2
Yes, China has bilateral trade deficits with quite a number of countries.
BBC
3
The last Labour government went quite a long way down this road.
The Guardian
4
This sophomore experience was quite a bit different than the previous year.
Climbing Magazine
5
Actually, since January of this year sales have increased quite a bit.
Wired
1
Nevertheless, the past six years have been quite an education for him.
The Guardian
2
He was working up quite an appetite; his first of the week.
Hell House
3
It was quite an exposed area, so they were probably feeling vulnerable.
A short history of nearly everything
4
He had also been dealing with quite an amount of public controversy.
The Irish Times
5
It was surely a mistake, and quite an easy one to make.
New york: the novel

To a moderate extent or degree.

Usage of quite in English
1
Still, I don't think the words 'war fever' quite describe the situation.
Physics and Beyond: Encounters and Conversations
2
Europe is, quite simply, in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Reuters
3
The second year we saw quite a bit of improvement, he said.
Reuters
4
Yes, China has bilateral trade deficits with quite a number of countries.
BBC
5
The situation, however, is quite different in the general theory of relativity.
A briefer history of time
6
In Ireland and Britain, we increasingly perceive reality in quite different ways.
The Irish Times
7
The moment was too good; I wasn't quite ready to leave yet.
Don't blink
8
It's quite difficult to explain how good this wine is on paper.
The South African
9
The last Labour government went quite a long way down this road.
The Guardian
10
But you know we are in a quite difficult situation right now.
The Irish Times
11
The student population is quite different, the student experience is quite different.
The Guardian
12
He is quite right, of course, as sanctions invariably effect civilian populations.
The Irish Times
13
In both cases, the media led the charge: and quite right too.
The Guardian
14
In reality, given the generous qualifying regulations, quite sizeable movies often figure.
The Irish Times
15
He said the health of the grain industry was still quite sound.
Radio NZ
16
Seven days later, CA's negotiating position does not look quite so strong.
The Guardian
About this term
More collocations
Quite through the time
Quite across language varieties
United Kingdom
Common
South Africa
Common
Ireland
Common
More variants