as much as

as much as (not comparable)

1. Practically, just as, no less than; indicates an action tantamount to, but not identical to, the action described.

   She as much as admitted to lying.

   • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:

     Theridimas my friend, take here my hand,
     Which is as much as if I ſwore by heauen,
     And call’d the Gods to witneſſe of my vowe, […]

   • 1921 February, Edwin Balmer, “Settled Down”, in Everybody's Magazine‎, volume 44, number 2, page 50:

     It's too damn foolish; why he as much as said so himself.

2. So much as, even.
   • 2005, Brigitte Goldstein, transl., Mr. Brecher's Fiasco, →ISBN, page 154:

     For as soon as he as much as took out his pince-nez to read the newspaper, the privy councilor's wife was his advance trumpeter, who sounded the fanfare and said, "Now Papa puts on his eyes."

as much as

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see as,‎ much.

   Take as much as you like.

2. Used to say that two things are equal in amount or degree
   • 1985 December 7, Pam Mitchell, Stephanie Poggi, “Feminists & the State Discuss Women at Work”, in Gay Community News, volume 13, number 21, page 6:

     The second union panel, "The Future of Clerical and Service Work: Unionization," consisted entirely of union organizers […] each stressed the need for grassroots organizing, coalitions, and community involvement, and seemed to view the government as an adversary as much as an ally.

   He likes caramel as much as he likes fudge.

3. Used to say that an amount is as large as another amount

   He earns nearly as much as she does.

4. Even though; despite the fact that

   As much as I dislike him, I still voted for him.

   • 2021 September 16, A. A. Dowd, “Dan Stevens as a dashing robot lover? That computes”, in AV Club‎:

     For as much as the Downton Abbey alum has capitalized on his leading-man presentability—how suited he is to wearing suits—his best performances play deviously on that quality.

• (even though): although, much as; see also Thesaurus:even though

• as few as
• as little as
• as many as

• as much
• much as

• “as much as”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.