intact

adjective

in·​tact in-ˈtakt 

1

: untouched especially by anything that harms or diminishes : entire, uninjured

2

of a living body or its parts : having no relevant component removed or destroyed:

a

: physically virginal

b

: not castrated

intactness

in-ˈtak(t)-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• compleat
• complete
• comprehensive
• entire
• full
• grand
• integral
• perfect
• plenary
• total
• whole

Choose the Right Synonym for intact

perfect, whole, entire, intact mean not lacking or faulty in any particular.

perfect implies the soundness and the excellence of every part, element, or quality of a thing frequently as an unattainable or theoretical state.

a perfect set of teeth

whole suggests a completeness or perfection that can be sought, gained, or regained.

felt like a whole person again after vacation

entire implies perfection deriving from integrity, soundness, or completeness of a thing.

the entire Beethoven corpus

intact implies retention of perfection of a thing in its natural or original state.

the boat survived the storm intact

Examples of intact in a Sentence

The house survived the war intact.

After 25 years, their friendship remained intact.

Recent Examples on the Web

While nails from Roman shoes are often found, intact sandals are a rarity located only a handful of times in the region, officials said. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 21 June 2024

Rapunzel-style coif intact, Champion begins her routine of (many) face rollers, acupressure, and model-on-the-go makeup. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 20 June 2024

Washington — The Supreme Court on Thursday left intact an obscure tax enacted as part of Republicans' sweeping 2017 reform package that targets U.S. taxpayers with shares of certain foreign corporations. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 20 June 2024

Despite nearly a half century in the sand, the ring was still intact and Rasmussen used the details etched into it to make a public plea on Facebook to track down its owner. —Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 19 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English intacte, from Latin intactus, from in- + tactus, past participle of tangere to touch — more at tangent entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

intact

adjective

in·​tact in-ˈtakt 

: untouched especially by anything that harms : not damaged or lessened

Medical Definition

intact

adjective

in·​tact in-ˈtakt 

: physically and functionally complete

The sense of smell was intact.

intact cell membranes

specifically, of an animal : not castrated

intactness noun