entirely
Americanadverb
-
wholly or fully; completely or unreservedly.
I am not entirely satisfied with the architect's design.
- Synonyms:
- thoroughly, totally
-
solely or exclusively.
adverb
-
without reservation or exception; wholly; completely
-
solely or exclusively; only
Etymology
Origin of entirely
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at entire, -ly
Explanation
A white shirt that becomes covered entirely with mud is so completely and totally cloaked that no white will show through. Likewise, if your carelessness is entirely to blame for the muddied shirt, it was your fault and no one else's. The word entirely describes the idea of completeness and wholeness. For instance, someone could be entirely focused on a book they're reading, showing that it has their full attention. A room cleaned entirely has no dust or clutter anywhere, and a story told entirely includes every detail. Something done entirely by one person has been wholly completed by that one person.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Comparisons with modern spadefoot toads eventually convinced him that the differences represented something else entirely.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
“Nick cannot show that Mr. Kanin’s conduct — rather than the unresolved legal question that persists under an entirely different trustee — caused any delay in his receipt of the distribution.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
So it’s entirely understandable if most of us aren’t into the labor aspect of the Lanterns’ audition process.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
They rented a vehicle, hiked the scenic Cabot Trail and stayed at a resort on the Atlantic Ocean run entirely by women.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
These were entirely different types of earthquakes than what had come before.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
