all 1 of 3

Definition of allnext

all

2 of 3

adjective

all

3 of 3

pronoun

as in everyone
every person a joyous holiday to one and all!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word all distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of all are entire, total, and whole. While all these words mean "including everything or everyone without exception," all may equal whole, entire, or total.

all proceeds go to charity

When might entire be a better fit than all?

The synonyms entire and all are sometimes interchangeable, but entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added.

the entire population was wiped out

When could total be used to replace all?

In some situations, the words total and all are roughly equivalent. However, total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered.

the total number of people present

Where would whole be a reasonable alternative to all?

While in some cases nearly identical to all, whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away.

read the whole book

How is the word all distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of all are entire, total, and whole. While all these words mean "including everything or everyone without exception," all may equal whole, entire, or total.

all proceeds go to charity

When might entire be a better fit than all?

The synonyms entire and all are sometimes interchangeable, but entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added.

the entire population was wiped out

When could total be used to replace all?

In some situations, the words total and all are roughly equivalent. However, total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered.

the total number of people present

Where would whole be a reasonable alternative to all?

While in some cases nearly identical to all, whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away.

read the whole book

How is the word all distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of all are entire, total, and whole. While all these words mean "including everything or everyone without exception," all may equal whole, entire, or total.

all proceeds go to charity

When might entire be a better fit than all?

The synonyms entire and all are sometimes interchangeable, but entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added.

the entire population was wiped out

When could total be used to replace all?

In some situations, the words total and all are roughly equivalent. However, total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered.

the total number of people present

Where would whole be a reasonable alternative to all?

While in some cases nearly identical to all, whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away.

read the whole book

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 all
Adverb
These choices are all up to you, and there are so many good ones on the market regardless of your preferences. Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2026 Toward the end of Richardson’s performance, the judges were all giddy, holding on to one another and waving their hands in the air. Annie Harrigan, Billboard, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
After being the unanimous pick to win the regular-season title and having three members of the 10-man preseason all-conference team, the Aztecs had no first teamers, Reese Dixon-Waters on the second team and Byrd on the third team. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026 By the second period, a new all-Russian line had been assembled, with Kaprizov, Yurov and Tarasenko skating together for a few shifts. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for all
Recent Examples of Synonyms for all
Adverb
  • And if the calm of the room interior hasn’t quite washed away the busy day, the indulgently oversized marble bathtubs certainly will.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Now they are headed toward the play-in tournament or, quite possibly, the actual NBA playoffs.
    Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • Meta and Google, whose profit mainly comes from digital advertising; Amazon, the largest online retailer and cloud-computing provider; and Microsoft, the biggest seller of business software, are each dominant in their industries and have ample cash cushions.
    Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Soccer Belen Jesuit and Miami Beach each reached the 10-win mark in boys’ soccer, before the holiday break.
    James Varsallone, Miami Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
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
Adverb
  • Dozens — if not hundreds — of homes had been damaged but officials have not been able to fully assess the destruction, Blangiardi said in an afternoon news conference.
    CBS News, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
  • If the merger fully goes through, Nexstar would lose the KNWA station while retaining KFTA and KXNW and adding Tegna's KFSM station for their Northwest Arkansas coverage.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 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
Adverb
  • If the plan had been to run the Kennedy Center into the ground so completely that shutting it down was the only option, Grenell aced the assignment.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2026
  • However, as the one person on set who truly has no idea that this is completely a lark, Anthony is truly the heart of the season.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Whisk remaining ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt and 2 Tbsp.
    Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Funding for the whole department failed to advance in the Senate on Friday after Democrats declined to support a bill.
    CBS News, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • The neighborhood Cadenabbia itself is pint-sized but perfectly positioned for exploring the surrounding area.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026
  • In presenting the Best Actor winners, Adrien Brody perfectly, if perhaps unconsciously, echoed Johnson’s remarks from more than 50 years earlier.
    Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“All.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/all. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on all

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster