as much as

English

as much as (not comparable)

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 […], part 1, 2nd edition, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, OCLC 932920499; 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, Edwin Balmer, "Settled Down", in Everybody's Magazine, volume 44, number 2, February 1921, page 50 :
  It's too damn foolish; why he as much as said so himself.
So much as, even.
- 2005, Brigitte Goldstein, translator, 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."

practically, no less than

as much as

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see as,‎ much.
Take as much as you like.
Used to say that two things are equal in amount or degree
He likes caramel as much as he likes fudge.
Used to say that an amount is as large as another amount
He earns nearly as much as she does.
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.

other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning (as + much)

two things are equal in amount or degree

an amount is as large as another amount

even though; despite the fact that