overall

¹over·all

adverb \ˌō-vər-ˈȯl\

: with everyone or everything included

: as a whole : in general

Full Definition of OVERALL

1

:  all over 1 <the pattern used overall>

2

:  from one end to the other <600 feet long overall>

3

a :  in view of all the circumstances or conditions <overall, the sale was a success>

b :  as a whole :  generally <doesn't do as well overall>

c :  with everyone or everything taken into account <was third overall in earnings> <got 31 miles to the gallon overall>

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Examples of OVERALL

1. He made a few mistakes but did well overall.
2. Overall, the project was successful.

First Known Use of OVERALL

13th century

Related to OVERALL

Synonyms

all told, altogether, collectedly, collectively, inclusively, all around, together

Related Words

broadly, generally, liberally, loosely, macroscopically; all over, completely, comprehensively, encyclopedically, entirely, exhaustively, fully, sweepingly, thoroughly, totally, wholly

Near Antonyms

detailedly, microscopically, minutely; literally, narrowly, restrictedly, strictly; alone, categorically, distinctly, exclusively, fractionally, individually, separately, singly, singularly, soley, solitarily, specifically

Rhymes with OVERALL

above all, aerosol, after all, alcohol, all in all, altar call, barbital, basketball, body wall, borough hall, buckyball, butanol, butterball, buttonball, cannonball, carryall, caterwaul, cattle call, Chinese wall, city hall, climbing wall, conference call, cortisol, cover-all, coverall, crystal ball, curtain call, Demerol, disenthrall, Donegal, entresol, ethanol, evenfall, free-for-all, gasohol, girasole, gopher ball, Grand Guignol, haute école, hiring hall, judgment call, know-it-all, knuckleball, Komsomol, matzo ball, Mendenhall, methanol, music hall, Montreal, Nembutal, off-the-wall, overcall, overhaul, paddleball, parasol, party wall, Pentothal, preinstall, protocol, racquetball, Seconal, Senegal, shopping mall, study hall, tattersall, tetherball, therewithal, timolol, uninstall, urban sprawl, volleyball, wailing wall, wake-up call, wall-to-wall, warts-and-all, waterfall, wherewithal

²over·all

noun \ˈō-vər-ˌȯl\

overalls : a pair of pants with an extra piece attached that covers the chest and has straps that go over the shoulders

: a loose coat that is worn over clothes so that they do not get dirty

overalls : a piece of clothing that is worn over other clothes to protect them

Full Definition of OVERALL

1

a plural archaic :  loose protective trousers worn over regular clothes

b usually plural :  trousers of strong material usually with a bib and shoulder straps

2

chiefly British :  a loose-fitting protective smock worn over regular clothing

Illustration of OVERALL

First Known Use of OVERALL

1797

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

³over·all

adjective \ˌō-vər-ˈȯl, ˈō-vər-ˌ\

: including everyone or everything

: viewed as a whole or in general

Full Definition of OVERALL

1

:  including everything

2

:  viewed as a whole :  general

Examples of OVERALL

1. your overall score after two rounds
2. His mistake didn't change my overall impression of him.
3. Your overall health is sound.
4. She likes the overall quality of the product.
5. The scratch didn't affect the car's overall appearance.

First Known Use of OVERALL

1894

Related to OVERALL

Synonyms

across-the-board, blanket, broad-brush, common, generic, global, general, universal

Antonyms

individual, particular

Related Words

all-embracing, broad, broad-gauge (or broad-gauged), broadscale, comprehensive, extensive, inclusionary, overarching, pervasive, sweeping, ubiquitous, wholesale, wide, widespread; aggregate, collective, complete, full, plenary; planetary, worldwide

Near Antonyms

component, constituent; cross-sectional, divisional, fragmentary, partial; local, localized, regional, sectional