Synonyms

totally

American

[toht-l-ee] / ˈtoʊt l i /

adverb

wholly; entirely; completely.

The two sisters have totally different personalities.
Informal. (used as an intensifier).

I totally cried when the movie ended. That was totally not what I meant.

interjection

Informal. definitely; absolutely (used to express complete agreement or strong affirmation).

Yes, totally, he should apologize to you!

Etymology

Origin of totally

First recorded in 1500–10; total + -ly

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.

Since being taken by surprise leads to out-of-control feelings and defiance, Dr. Becky suggests using the phrase Totally up to you and making a visual schedule.

From Slate • May 10, 2026

Totally blind batters may have a partially sighted runner.

From Barron's • Nov. 16, 2025

And then he said something that caught me off guard: “Your classmates hold diametrically opposed world views. Totally incompatible,” he told the crowd.

From Slate • Oct. 30, 2025

"About the security situation, let me be clear: it has completely collapsed. Totally gone. There's no control anywhere," he said.

From BBC • Jul. 6, 2025

“Oh, mine’s not as bad as yours. I mean, we can’t stay there right now. We’re living with my grandma, but we’ll be back in a couple weeks. Your house, though. Totally gone. Wow.”

From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023