entire 1 of 2

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

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
The entire film is set on other planets. Brent Lang, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026 And the two installments prove to be among the weakest entries of the entire series, failing to close the show out on a strong note. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026 Craving access to an entire estate in Corsica? Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026 During the timeout, the entire Heat team went over to check on Adebayo. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for entire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for entire
Adjective
  • But his was the last all-male class to enter Princeton, and jarring social changes followed.
    Peter S. Canellos, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Created through a collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar Animation Studios, this all-new character helps prepare departing space rangers in a practice range before the real mission begins.
    Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Bischoff found the whole situation bizarre.
    Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Attempts to engage with restless residents who worried about where the whole effort was headed.
    John Aguilar, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • The strikes destroyed the bridge completely, according to the NNA, which said a drone had earlier carried out two separate strikes in the area before the jets launched the main strikes.
    April 16, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
  • These outfits will give you that put-together finish but are completely adaptable to your own personal style.
    Clare Holden, Glamour, 16 Apr. 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
  • No patio is complete without some decorative accessories, according to Kerith Flynn, the founder of Margali & Flynn Designs.
    Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 19 Apr. 2026
  • On the other end, the Rockets were a complete mess, dissolving in two whining technical fouls in the third quarter that sealed their fate.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Quilted jackets layer perfectly over long sleeves, short sleeves, light sweaters, and even dresses.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Apr. 2026
  • Of course, that doesn’t mean that any eventual peace deal will perfectly balance the victors’ and vanquished’s demands.
    Philippe Welti, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The Navy has 16 warships — 11 destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, an aircraft carrier and a littoral combat ship — in the Middle East out of a battle force of roughly 300 total warships.
    Konstantin Toropin, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
  • After finishing with 103 points in 2021-22, their last playoff appearances, the Penguins saw their point total fall to 91, 88 and then 80 last season.
    Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Small said that even in cases where a person fully recovers from peripartum cardiomyopathy, future pregnancies are considered high-risk.
    Kerry Breen, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
  • But evidence is mounting that applicants with questionable histories were either not fully vetted before they were brought on or were hired in spite of their past, an investigation by The Associated Press found.
    Ryan J. Foley, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Entire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entire. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.

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