1
: wholly, completely
not quite finished
2
: to an extreme : positively
quite sure
—often used as an intensifier with aquite a swell guy
quite a beauty
3
: to a considerable extent : rather
quite near
Synonyms
Examples of quite in a Sentence
He felt that the world he had loved had quite gone.
—
Edmund Wilson, New York Times Book Review, 20 July 1986
The men who made love to the left-wing college girls were either medical students, who had contempt for them and forgot them, or jocks, who bragged falsely of having made conquests of quite other girls.
—Renata Adler, Pitch Dark, 1983
In my opinion, my work … ain't quite good enough …
—William Faulkner, in Faulkner in the University, (1959) 1977
Irene Franey, a little older than I, was quite a beauty
—John O'Hara, letter, 30 Dec. 1963
“Are you quite finished?” “Not quite.”
I am quite capable of doing it myself, thank you.
They assured me that I was quite mistaken.
We hadn't quite made up our minds.
She's quite right, you know.
I quite forgot your birthday.
No one realized quite what was happening.
Quite why he left is unclear.
That is not quite what I said.
Edmund Wilson, New York Times Book Review, 20 July 1986
The men who made love to the left-wing college girls were either medical students, who had contempt for them and forgot them, or jocks, who bragged falsely of having made conquests of quite other girls.
—Renata Adler, Pitch Dark, 1983
In my opinion, my work … ain't quite good enough …
—William Faulkner, in Faulkner in the University, (1959) 1977
Irene Franey, a little older than I, was quite a beauty
—John O'Hara, letter, 30 Dec. 1963
“Are you quite finished?” “Not quite.”
I am quite capable of doing it myself, thank you.
They assured me that I was quite mistaken.
We hadn't quite made up our minds.
She's quite right, you know.
I quite forgot your birthday.
No one realized quite what was happening.
Quite why he left is unclear.
That is not quite what I said.
Recent Examples on the Web
Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy Carpal tunnel syndrome is quite common during pregnancy, with as many as 31% to 62% of pregnant people being diagnosed.4 Causes of carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy include fluid retention, increased weight gain, and hormonal fluctuations.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 3 July 2024
This is, quite literally, not how judges should be chosen, and for that reason and many others, this race is no contest.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2024
With a deft hand, Forcier navigates the historical abuses of the church and the hope of a society on the brink of change — with sensitivity, humour, and quite literally, a lot of heart.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 3 July 2024
Inland coastal areas away from the beach won’t be quite as extreme but will still be under a heat advisory, with highs from 85 to 95 degrees.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for quite 
wendy Wisner, Parents, 3 July 2024
This is, quite literally, not how judges should be chosen, and for that reason and many others, this race is no contest.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2024
With a deft hand, Forcier navigates the historical abuses of the church and the hope of a society on the brink of change — with sensitivity, humour, and quite literally, a lot of heart.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 3 July 2024
Inland coastal areas away from the beach won’t be quite as extreme but will still be under a heat advisory, with highs from 85 to 95 degrees.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for quite
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quite.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Quite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quite. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quite
adverb1
: beyond question or doubt : completely
quite alone
quite sure
2
: more or less sense 1, rather
we live quite near the school
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