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totality

noun
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to·​tal·​i·​ty | \ tō-ˈta-lə-tē How to pronounce totality (audio) \
plural totalities

Definition of totality

1 : an aggregate amount : sum, whole
2a : the quality or state of being total : wholeness
b : the phase of an eclipse during which it is total : state of total eclipse
Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about totality

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Examples of totality in a Sentence

the totality of human knowledge the totality of the stars in the universe can only be loosely guessed at
Recent Examples on the Web The totality of Trump’s display underscored the extent to which the pandemic has worn on the president, who has watched his popularity in key swing states plummet. — Justin Sink, Bloomberg.com, "Trump Shows Frayed Nerves With Pandemic’s Toll Climbing," 12 May 2020 Our minds allow us -- and here Spinoza becomes lyrical -- to participate in eternal totality and to achieve piece of mind by aligning ourselves with the trajectory of the universe. — The School Of Life, CNN, "The School of Life presents: Another way to think about death," 6 May 2020 But the totality of Mr. Flynn’s treatment shocks the conscience. — Kimberley A. Strassel, WSJ, "The FBI’s Flynn Outrage," 30 Apr. 2020 The way this country looks on TV in this pandemic feels artificial, unreal—the way the world looks in an eclipse’s light during the final totality. — Matt Farwell, The New Republic, "The Paranoid Style of America in a Pandemic," 1 Apr. 2020 These roles would allow Dallas to take advantage of the full totality of his skill set. — John Owning, Dallas News, "Film room: Cowboys reload on defense in 7-round mock draft, including the second-best pass rusher in the 2020 class," 25 Mar. 2020 There are more than 72,000 servicemen left unaccounted for from the totality of World War II, more than 7,800 servicemen missing from the Korean War, and exactly 1,585 unaccounted for from the conflict in Vietnam. — Madison Dibble, Washington Examiner, "Myanmar repatriates remains of American servicemen believed to have died in WWII," 12 Mar. 2020 Indeed, Xi would not even be the first Chinese ruler to fall victim to the totality of his own power. — Zeynep Tufekci, The Atlantic, "How the Coronavirus Revealed Authoritarianism’s Fatal Flaw," 22 Feb. 2020 It’s shaped by the totality of the administration’s policies. — Brian Barrett, Wired, "Ivanka Trump's Future of Work Isn't for Workers," 7 Jan. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'totality.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of totality

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Time Traveler for totality

Time Traveler

The first known use of totality was in 1598

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Statistics for totality

Last Updated

20 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Totality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/totality. Accessed 1 Jun. 2020.

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More Definitions for totality

totality

noun
How to pronounce totality (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of totality

: the whole or entire amount of something

See the full definition for totality in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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More from Merriam-Webster on totality

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for totality

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with totality

Spanish Central: Translation of totality

Nglish: Translation of totality for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of totality for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about totality

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