intact
Americanadjective
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not altered, broken, or impaired; remaining uninjured, sound, or whole; untouched; unblemished.
The vase remained intact despite rough handling.
-
not changed or diminished; not influenced or swayed.
Despite misfortune, his faith is still intact.
-
complete or whole, especially not castrated or emasculated.
-
having the hymen unbroken; virginal.
adjective
Usage
What are other ways to say intact? Something that is intact is not altered, broken, or impaired. How does intact compare to synonyms entire, complete, and perfect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of intact
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin intāctus untouched, equivalent to in- in- 3 + tāctus, past participle of tangere to touch
Explanation
If something is intact it's still in one piece. If you'd like your sand castle to remain intact, I suggest you build it away from the water. The Latin word intactus means “untouched,” but today something is intact if it's whole, if it hasn't fallen apart. After a long day at work, you might feel lucky to be intact. Your letter to the post office states that you would prefer your packages to arrive intact from now on.
Vocabulary lists containing intact
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Tangerine
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ACT Vocabulary List
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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.
That research suggests Nereid may be the only moon from that original system to have survived intact.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
I also feel very grateful that with my job and with everything I get to do, I really try to keep intact how much I love the work and how much I love creating.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Legal scholars in the early 1800s treated this right as both intact and broad.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
I will meet my maker with my beard intact.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
I put my hand on my own face to make sure I was intact.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
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.
