altogether

American  

[awl-tuh-geth-er, awl-tuh-geth-er] / ˌɔl təˈgɛð ər, ˈɔl təˌgɛð ər /

adverb

1. wholly; entirely; completely; quite.

   altogether fitting.

   Synonyms:

   absolutely, totally, utterly

2. with all or everything included.

   The debt amounted altogether to twenty dollars.

3. with everything considered; on the whole.

   Altogether, I'm glad it's over.

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idioms

1. in the altogether, nude.

   When the phone rang she had just stepped out of the bathtub and was in the altogether.

altogether British  

/ ˌɔːltəˈɡɛðə, ˈɔːltəˌɡɛðə /

adverb

1. with everything included

   altogether he owed me sixty pounds

2. completely; utterly; totally

   he was altogether mad

3. on the whole

   altogether it was a very good party

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noun

1. informal naked

Commonly Confused

The forms altogether and all together, though often indistinguishable in speech, are distinct in meaning. The adverb altogether means “wholly, entirely, completely”: an altogether confused scene. The phrase all together means “in a group”: The children were all together in the kitchen. The word all can be omitted without seriously affecting the meaning: The children were together in the kitchen.

Etymology

Origin of altogether

First recorded in 1125–75; variant of Middle English altogeder; see all, together

Explanation

If you're altogether certain, you know it for a fact. Since you're altogether sure that your calculations are correct, go ahead with the experiment. Please wear your goggles just in case. Never use “all together” (meaning “all in one place”) when you mean altogether (which can also mean "all things considered"). It was risky to bring us all together again after so many years, but you have to admit that altogether we had a good time. Altogether, it could have been worse. It wasn't altogether bad. I suppose we won't do it again next year.

Example Sentences

These are people who have the most common form, known as “pattern” hair loss, which is caused by hormones that gradually shrink hair follicles until they stop producing hair altogether.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Getting out of the Championship is an outstanding achievement; staying in the Premier League altogether different.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

The conference bypassed the United Nations climate process altogether, reflecting a growing impatience with its failure to tackle fossil fuels, the main driver of global warming.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

For burger-centric establishments, it’s difficult to add a menu item that’s altogether different in terms of the cooking and even the packaging materials, she said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026

And to her, the words “alma mater” had always held a special, private, and, up until quite recently, altogether sadder meaning.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• absolutely
• fully
• perfectly
• quite
• thoroughly
• totally
• utterly
• wholly