entire 1 of 2

entire

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word entire distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of entire are all, total, and whole. While all these words mean "including everything or everyone without exception," entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added.

the entire population was wiped out

How is all related to other words for entire?

All may equal whole, entire, or total.

all proceeds go to charity

When could total be used to replace entire?

The synonyms total and entire are sometimes interchangeable, but total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered.

the total number of people present

Where would whole be a reasonable alternative to entire?

The meanings of whole and entire largely overlap; however, whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away.

read the whole book

Examples of entire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Creating entire worlds doesn’t feel like a flight of fancy. Adam B. Vary, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024 As its name suggests, the wig wall is an entire wall of storage cabinets in a hallway. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2024 In fact, Richard Gere’s entire wardrobe for the film was supplied by Armani, so looking at archival pieces from this time period could work to inspire your fall outfits of today. Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 Use the opposite hand to gently press your fingers in small circles across your entire breast area and armpit, applying various pressures, and gently squeeze the nipple to check for discharge. Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for entire 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'entire.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near entire

Cite this Entry

“Entire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entire. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on entire

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