Much of a muchness

Definitions

• equivalence
  Expressing that two or more things are very similar or nearly identical in value or quality

• redundancy
  Conveying that there is little to no difference between the options or choices being discussed

Examples of Much of a muchness

• The catering menus at the wedding and the birthday party were much of a muchness.

  Both menus were very similar, with few noticeable differences.

• After visiting multiple hardware stores, I left all of them feeling much of a muchness.

  None of the stores offered anything significantly different from the others.

• The two candidates had very similar backgrounds, making it difficult for the voters to choose between them - they were much of a muchness.

  The voters struggled to distinguish between the candidates because they shared many similarities.

• With over a dozen different types of pizza to choose from, the customer felt overwhelmed and uncertain which one to select. In the end, they ordered the one that was much of a muchness compared to the others they saw on the menu.

  The customer couldn't differentiate between many of the pizzas and felt that they were all very similar.

• The profits of both companies were much of a muchness last quarter.

  Both companies earned similar profits during the last quarter, making their profits indistinguishable or insignificantly different.

• After comparing all the features of the new laptop models, I found that they were much of a muchness in terms of speed and storage capacity.

  After studying all the latest laptop models, I found that they offered very similar processing speeds and storage capacities, making it difficult to distinguish one model from another in these respects.

• When it comes to taste, I find that white wine and red wine are much of a muchness.

  I'm unable to discern any real difference in the taste of white wine and red wine, as both are equally enjoyable to me.

• In my opinion, the guidelines for passing this exam are much of a muchness.

  From my perspective, the rules for passing this test are so similar or indistinguishable that I view them as effectively the same thing.

Conclusion

The idiom "much of a muchness" is used to indicate that two or more things are very similar or nearly identical in value or quality. It can also be used to convey that there is little to no difference between the options or choices being discussed. In both cases, the idiom is meant to emphasize the equivalence or redundancy of the things being compared.

Origin of "Much of a muchness"

The origin of the idiom "much of a muchness" is not definitively known, but it is believed to have originated in Britain in the 19th century. The word "muchness" itself is derived from the Middle English word "muche," meaning "great," and has been used to convey a sense of abundance or excess. When used in the idiom, it emphasizes the similarity or redundancy of the things being compared. The idiom likely gained popularity through common usage and has since become a well-known expression in the English language.

Examples:

• When deciding between the two laptops, I found that they were much of a muchness in terms of performance and price.
• The two ice cream flavors are much of a muchness, so I'll just choose one at random.