intact

adjective

in·​tact in-ˈtakt How to pronounce intact (audio)
Synonyms of intactnext
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 noun
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The company is clearly betting on the quality of their product more than before, but the overarching aim of capturing Gen Z with selfie-friendly stores outfitted with mirrors remains intact. Li Goldstein, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026 But its oil infrastructure was left intact. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026 But his confidence remains intact, which is good because KU’s bench is struggling to score. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2026 In recent years, a new crop of jazz artists have crossed the pop Rubicon with their genre trappings more-or-less intact. Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for intact

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of intact was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Intact.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intact. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

intact

adjective
in·​tact in-ˈtakt How to pronounce intact (audio)
: untouched especially by anything that harms : not damaged or lessened

Medical Definition

intact

adjective
in·​tact in-ˈtakt How to pronounce intact (audio)
: physically and functionally complete
The sense of smell was intact.
intact cell membranes
specifically, of an animal : not castrated
intactness noun

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