to the core
phrase
: in a very complete or extreme way
—used for emphasis
He is patriotic to the core.
Her family is English to the core.
He's rotten to the core.
They were shaken to the core.
Cite this Entry
“To the core.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/to%20the%20core. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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