all 1 of 3

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

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
Emotional requirements: Compassion, patience and resilience are all essential but don’t expect emotional support in return. Jj Holmes, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025 None of the adult children can afford to buy out the other two, and the three adults and their families cannot all live in the house at once. Liz Weston, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
Adjective
Also while at Kansas, Townsend has coached 13 NBA Draft lottery selections, more than 30 overall NBA draftees and 70 all-Big 12 Jayhawks. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2025 This touchscreen laptop is big on power, but small in stature thanks to a Ryzen 7 CPU and an all-metal chassis weighing only 3.62 pounds. Jade Chung-Lee, PC Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for all
Recent Examples of Synonyms for all
Adverb
  • It’s been quite a year for Kathy Bates and Billy Bob Thornton, who both lead hit shows.
    Emily Longeretta, Variety, 15 June 2025
  • And perhaps most poignantly, both lost the thread -- Brian to the isolation of his mind, Sly to the labyrinth of his vices and fame -- but neither ever quite let go of the spool.
    Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 15 June 2025
Adverb
  • As of Wednesday’s close, the Dow and Nasdaq were each less than 1% off their all-time highs.
    Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2025
  • The longtime friends are each dry witted, yet oddly warm in the face of painful events.
    Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • This can be as simple as turning to your partner and giving them your undivided attention for a few minutes.
    Phil Stark, CNBC, 10 June 2025
  • But now more than ever, Cubs fans seem to be video board watching, giving their undivided attention to the left field video board erected 10 years ago during the Project 1060 renovation.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Adverb
  • After the fire is fully contained, the next step is to control it.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2025
  • Champion said search teams had looked through the area before but couldn't fully investigate because of the high water.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • The shrinking of Paramount’s workforce reflects contraction across the entire media sector, with Disney recently announcing a fresh round of cuts as companies reckon with cord-cutting’s hit to their pay-TV revenues.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 10 June 2025
  • Best of all, though, was the Egyptian revival-style desert hotel, particularly the ballroom containing a large model of the entire infrastructure project, decorated in pharaohs and hieroglyphics.
    Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • The hiccup for me this time was the whole medical part.
    Bruna Papandrea, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
  • That’s a real problem, not just for animation but the whole industry.
    Kevin Giraud, Variety, 10 June 2025
Adverb
  • This wisdom applies perfectly to brands seeking to connect with young consumers.
    Rupert Lee-Browne, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Her ensemble featured a simple yet striking little black dress with a semi-sheer bodice and a voluminous, inflated hemline, perfectly paired with dainty black mules and matching arm cuffs on both wrists.
    Mecca Pryor, Essence, 10 June 2025
Adverb
  • Agent Albert Molina Lopez and coach Juan Carlos Ferrero were not totally on board with this downtime and their charge duly lost in the second round at Queen’s to Draper.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • Instead, watching from our humble blue marble, Elio feels just a tad too familiar in its sights and story beats to seem totally fresh.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“All.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/all. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.

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