intact

adjective

in·​tact in-ˈtakt 

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

in-ˈtak(t)-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of intact

• entire
• whole
• complete
• full
• perfect
• comprehensive

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

And the fix is not simply extending certificates into the intact forests that remain, which do the most for climate and biodiversity. — Kari Stoever, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2026

Formal hedges require frequent pruning, about every six weeks, to keep their distinct shapes intact using electric hedge trimmers to shear the surface. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2026

In the movie, viewers see the regal structure, still intact, glimpsed through the office window of cranky CIA bureau chief MJ (Steve Buscemi), a key player in orchestrating the chaos. — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026

That said, leaving the foliage intact until spring can also provide shelter for overwintering pollinators. — The Spruce, 5 Nov. 2026

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

Rhymes for intact

• abstract
• attacked
• attract
• contact
• contract
• detract
• distract
• enact
• exact
• extract
• hijacked
• impact

Kids Definition

intact

adjective

in·​tact in-ˈtakt 

: untouched especially by anything that harms : not damaged or lessened

Medical Definition

intact

adjective

in·​tact in-ˈtakt 

: physically and functionally complete

The sense of smell was intact.

intact cell membranes

specifically, of an animal : not castrated

intactness noun