1
: made with maximum effort : thoroughgoing
an all-out effort to win the contest
: with full determination or enthusiasm : with maximum effort
—used chiefly in the phrase go all out
Synonyms
Adjective
- absolute
- arrant
- blank
- blooming [chiefly British]
- bodacious [Southern & Midland]
- categorical
- categoric
- clean
- complete
- consummate
- crashing
- damn
- damned
- dead
- deadly
- definite
- downright
- dreadful
- fair
- flat
- flat-out
- out-and-out
- outright
- perfect
- plumb
- profound
- pure
- rank
- regular
- sheer
- simple
- stark
- stone
- straight-out
- thorough
- thoroughgoing
- total
- unadulterated
- unalloyed
- unconditional
- unmitigated
- unqualified
- utter
- very
Adverb
Examples of all-out in a Sentence
Adjective
Grandpa got the all-out support of the family when he decided to remarry at age 72
an all-out effort to break open the door
Adverb
went all out for her New Year's Eve party—she even had fireworks!
Recent Examples on the Web
Kelly Kasulis Cho, arkansasonline.com, 30 Dec. 2024
South Korean acting President Choi Sang-mok, who was named interim leader of the country on Friday after the previous acting president was impeached amid an ongoing political crisis, ordered all-out rescue efforts, his office said.
—Reuters, USA TODAY, 29 Dec. 2024
Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Verdine White is laying it all out on his first-ever solo music venture.
—Chris Barilla, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for all-out 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Adjective
The crash prompted an all-out emergency response that included the deployment of special forces troops as well as hundreds of emergency responders.
—Kelly Kasulis Cho, arkansasonline.com, 30 Dec. 2024
South Korean acting President Choi Sang-mok, who was named interim leader of the country on Friday after the previous acting president was impeached amid an ongoing political crisis, ordered all-out rescue efforts, his office said.
—Reuters, USA TODAY, 29 Dec. 2024
Adverb
Already automakers are touting their holiday/year-end clearance sales promotions, with dealerships and salespeople expected to go all out to strike deals to both clear excess inventory and to qualify for bonuses for meeting year-end sales goals.
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Verdine White is laying it all out on his first-ever solo music venture.
—Chris Barilla, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for all-out
Dictionary Entries Near all-out
Cite this Entry
“All-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-out. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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