out–and–out

1 having no exceptions or restrictions an out-and-out cheater at every game she plays her story is not just an exaggeration, it's an out-and-out lie Synonyms all-out, arrant, blank, blooming [chiefly British], bodacious [Southern & Midland], categorical (also categoric), clean, complete, consummate, cotton-picking, crashing, damn, damned, dead, deadly, definite, downright, dreadful, fair, flat, flat-out, out-and-out, outright, perfect, plumb, profound, pure, rank, regular, sheer, simple, stark, stone, straight-out, thorough, thoroughgoing, total, unadulterated, unalloyed, unconditional, unmitigated, unqualified, utter, veryRelated Words authentic, classic, genuine, real, veritable; constant, endless, eternal, perpetual, undying, unremitting; extreme, unrestricted; confirmed, habitual, hopeless, inveterate; extraordinary, frightful, horrible, huge, main, superlative, supreme, surpassing, terrible, terrificNear Antonyms doubtful, dubious, equivocal, qualified, questionable, restricted, uncertain

2 trying all possibilities mounted an out-and-out effort to find the lost child Synonyms all-out, clean, complete, comprehensive, full-scale, out-and-out, thorough, thoroughgoing, totalRelated Words broad, extensive, far-reaching, in-depth, sweeping, wide, wide-ranging; general, global, inclusive, methodical (also methodic), systematic; no-holds-barred, unhampered, unrestrainedNear Antonyms aimless, desultory, haphazard, hit-or-miss, random; cursory, shallow, slipshod, superficial; limited, narrow, restricted