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
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
Bobby Ghosh, Time, 18 Jan. 2026
Ramírez arrived in Amman at the moment when the fedayeen groups were at the height of their power and belligerence, and the kingdom was teetering on the brink of all-out conflict.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
People are going all out to make their cards visually appealing and fun to use, turning goal-tracking into a hands-on activity that’s both satisfying and motivating.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for all-out
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Adjective
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Clegg was central to Meta’s decision to take a hard line against Moscow, precipitating an all-out ban on Facebook and Instagram in Russia.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 18 Jan. 2026
Ramírez arrived in Amman at the moment when the fedayeen groups were at the height of their power and belligerence, and the kingdom was teetering on the brink of all-out conflict.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
Adverb
My business all out in the streets' — literally.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
People are going all out to make their cards visually appealing and fun to use, turning goal-tracking into a hands-on activity that’s both satisfying and motivating.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for all-out
Cite this Entry
“All-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-out. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
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