whole 1 of 2

Definition of wholenext
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whole

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word whole distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of whole are all, entire, and total. While all these words mean "including everything or everyone without exception," whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away.

read the whole book

How is all related to other words for whole?

All may equal whole, entire, or total.

all proceeds go to charity

When could entire be used to replace whole?

The words entire and whole are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added.

the entire population was wiped out

When would total be a good substitute for whole?

While in some cases nearly identical to whole, total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered.

the total number of people present

How is the word whole distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of whole are all, entire, and total. While all these words mean "including everything or everyone without exception," whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away.

read the whole book

How is all related to other words for whole?

All may equal whole, entire, or total.

all proceeds go to charity

When could entire be used to replace whole?

The words entire and whole are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added.

the entire population was wiped out

When would total be a good substitute for whole?

While in some cases nearly identical to whole, total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered.

the total number of people present

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of whole
Adjective
Several days later, his pregnant wife, Ruth, throws their toddler into the car and drops off the ransom, and Carl is returned home, more or less whole but emotionally damaged beyond repair. The Know, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026 The railroad has spent billions over the last decade to double-track the whole route, eliminate grade crossings and provide passing sidings for two-mile long trains. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
That’s one way a director in one country can appeal to the whole of the world. John Hopewell, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026 Multiple ways to consider a complex whole The danger arises when one perspective is treated as the whole story. Alejandro Hortal-Sánchez, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for whole
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whole
Adjective
  • After an employee at Kansas City International Airport was accused of secretly recording women, Willett seized on the issue and publicly pushed for fewer all-gender bathrooms at the airport.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Raising the boiling point of the electrolytes could open the door to true all-climate applications, making the technology viable across a wider range of environments.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • One of the world’s five Blue Zones, Nicoya is known for its high number of centenarians whose longevity is often attributed to their healthy, community-centric lifestyle.
    Meghan Palmer, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The public can also report sightings of healthy animals by clicking here.
    Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • But Smith’s order was overturned by an appellate court, and the entire report was publicly released.
    Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Vargas freehanded the entire piece, refraining from using grids or projections.
    Rina Nakano, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • But on Monday, the team waived Jaden Ivey — who had spent a total of only 115 minutes on a basketball court in a Bulls jersey — after the guard went on a series of religious rants on his social media, including a bigoted diatribe against the NBA’s practice of hosting LGBTQ+ pride nights.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Depending on the source, Jews represented 5% to 8% of the total, even though Jews made up less than 1% of Argentina’s population at the time.
    Juan Melamed, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The low, undivided space holds jugs of cleaners and bulky items like backstock paper towels and toilet paper.
    Amy Panos, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Offer it your time and undivided attention.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The prescriptions program is expected to serve about 6,500 children and families in northwest Milwaukee at nearly 13,000 annual well-child visits.
    Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Last week, Spurs beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at home and all was well with the world.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Perhaps no other museum cafe in the city is more beloved than the Neue Galerie's Café Sabarsky, a Viennese cafe that seems to transport guests to Austria, circa 1910, complete with lighting fixtures by Josef Hoffmann, furniture by Adolf Loos, and banquettes upholstered with Otto Wagner fabric.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
  • His metamorphosis into social scientist-cum-sage appears to be complete.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • But the totality of the cap hits between this year and next year would’ve been the same.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Emotions rose as the fleeting phase of totality continued to ebb away with the moon lost from sight behind a veil of clouds.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 25 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Whole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whole. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

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