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
Nell Angloma arrived in an all-white ensemble, featuring a wrap blazer and coordinating pleated pants. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026 The language of the book is Italian—the dialogue is often in Roman dialect, the names, places, and characters are all Italian but the wider ideas are coming in English. Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The all-gender restroom had no toilet paper. Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado april 3, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2026 The best that Mario's brother can do is conjure a 2D, all-black figure to defend them. Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for all
Recent Examples of Synonyms for all
Adverb
  • While my skin doesn’t quite sparkle or reflect like glass, the results are subtle yet effective.
    Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Manson can’t quite make up her mind about the value proposition of institutional inertia.
    Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • His six Opening Day starts are twice more than any other pitcher in franchise history (Josh Beckett and Josh Johnson each did it three times).
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
  • 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
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
  • In Hungary’s first fully free election, in 1990, the Party made a decent showing.
    Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Significant advancements in fully capable robotics have become much more efficient and useful for scientific discovery.
    Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The truth of those words is manifest in the myriad structures from the Mughal era (1526–1857) that have survived for centuries after the fall of the empire, which at its height stretched across nearly the entire Indian subcontinent.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Apr. 2026
  • How does Wembanyama handle Donovan Clingan — a player who will undoubtedly meet the fight above the rim and wrestle him for position all night long — for an entire series?
    Jared Weiss, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • In the two years since, Tisza has completely eclipsed Hungary’s old institutional opposition—a fractured gamut ranging from the far right to the left.
    Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
  • As well-wishers floated between a recording studio, the walk-in closet, a media room, and guest bedrooms, Tuco, the dog, looked completely unfazed by the dozens of curious guests peeking behind every corner.
    Freya Drohan, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Tens of thousands fled by boat from Hue, many drowning in the attempt, and by the end of March a million refugees—soldiers, civilians, whole extended families—were clogging Route 7B, a major highway, trying to get farther south.
    Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Pair them with calcium-rich cheese and a whole-wheat tortilla to create a delicious grab-and-go breakfast.
    Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Fashion On-Theme Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway perfectly match their fashion to the red, white, and black theme at the Devil Wears Prada 2 premiere in Seoul, South Korea on April 8.
    Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Their schemes to push Asian-American kids out of their dream schools for racial reasons would have been perfectly legal.
    Alison Somin, Oc Register, 10 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“All.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/all. Accessed 16 Apr. 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