Definition of entirenext

entire

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word entire distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of entire are all, total, and whole. While all these words mean "including everything or everyone without exception," entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added.

the entire population was wiped out

How is all related to other words for entire?

All may equal whole, entire, or total.

all proceeds go to charity

When could total be used to replace entire?

The synonyms total and entire are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 entire?

The meanings of whole and entire largely overlap; however, 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 entire
Adjective
That top-speed capability means that no one can let their gaze linger on the design that would inspire an entire generation of Astons to come. — Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2026 That looks like a password reset that blocks off an entire morning. — Tal Dagan, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 FastestVPN works across your phone, tablet, Smart TV, router, and more, covering your entire digital life. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 30 Oct. 2026 This is how a senior diplomat can lecture British bureaucrats about North Korea’s victimhood one day and then flee North Korea with his entire family a few weeks later. — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for entire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for entire
Adjective
  • Every so often, the seven-seat Negroni Room pops up for an experiential, all-sensory food-and-drink experience dedicated to its namesake legend—book your spot in advance.
    — Jaclyn DeGiorgio, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Hosted by Scott Evans and Zanna Roberts Rassi, the all-women music lineup for the show includes Katseye, Megan Moroney, Megan Thee Stallion and Tate McRae.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The whole idea is for Israel to keep fighting, because endless wars serve Netanyahu to maintain… a constant state of emergency.
    — Daniel Estrin, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The whole joke is that Chandler is really bad at posing for photos.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • Metz always saw it as an amazing tool and biological specimen that had just been completely ignored.
    — Fiorella Valdesolo, Allure, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The werewolf’s victims reappear in hallucinations completely drenched in blood, while the hugely likable Griffin Dunne exits in spectacular fashion, totally ripped to shreds.
    — Vulture Editors, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Lots of undivided attention, positive reinforcement, love, affection, and pride when my kids were successful.
    — Lauren Gelman, Parents, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The following morning, Greenland was still there, still demanding my undivided attention.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Ethiopia’s coffee authority is compiling data, but the process is not complete.
    — Damian Zane, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In practice, that can look like AI pulling together updates from ticketing systems, documentation, source control and incident platforms to give teams a more complete view of progress and risk.
    — Joel Burleson-Davis, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • Smith-Njigba positioned his body perfectly for the catch at the goal line.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Pembrolizumab perfectly complements this bounty hunter approach.
    — Mike McRae October 25, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Additionally, Nasdaq eliminated the rule requiring companies to have at least 10% of their total shares publicly traded, easing pressures on firms to issue additional shares and mitigating dilution risks for existing shareholders.
    — , CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Police estimate the group's total catch amounted to two pallets of frozen snow crab, or about 100 30-pound boxes of the frozen seafood.
    — Joe Brandt, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • More retreat than resort, the 17-room lodge leans into its eco-conscious cred, maximizing the natural beauty of the surroundings and bringing those elements indoors to create a fully restorative experience.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Bocken says the long-term ambition is to go fully autonomous.
    — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Entire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entire. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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