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• all-out
  all-out

  adjective

  using all one's resources; complete; total.
• all out
  all out

  With all one's strength, ability, or resources; not holding back. For example, They are going all out to make the fund-raiser a success. This seemingly modern term dates from about 1300, when it meant “completely” or “wholly.” It now refers to making a great effort and is also used adjectivally, as in an all-out effort. This usage became current in America in the late 1800s, with reference to races and other kinds of athletic exertion. In the mid-1900s it gave rise to the phrase to go all out and was transferred to just about any energetic undertaking. Also see go whole hog.

all-out

American  

[awl-out] / ˈɔlˌaʊt /

adjective

1. using all one's resources; complete; total.

   an all-out effort.

   Synonyms:

   unremitting, exhaustive, unstinting

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all-out British  

adjective

1. using one's maximum powers

   an all-out effort

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adverb

1. to one's maximum effort or capacity

   he went all out on the home stretch

all out Idioms  

1. With all one's strength, ability, or resources; not holding back. For example, They are going all out to make the fund-raiser a success. This seemingly modern term dates from about 1300, when it meant “completely” or “wholly.” It now refers to making a great effort and is also used adjectivally, as in an all-out effort. This usage became current in America in the late 1800s, with reference to races and other kinds of athletic exertion. In the mid-1900s it gave rise to the phrase to go all out and was transferred to just about any energetic undertaking. Also see go whole hog.

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Usage

What does all-out mean? All-out describes using all of your resources or energy to accomplish something, as in Talya made an all-out effort on her midterm exams. The related phrase all out usually follows go and means to make a total effort, as in Jamal’s parents really went all out for his birthday party, treating all the guests to helicopter rides! Example: The away team won the game because they went for an all-out attack on the home team.

Etymology

Origin of all-out

1905–10; adj. use of all out utterly, completely, Middle English al out

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

all-out all out

They found that six 30-second, all-out sprints changed nearly one-quarter of the proteins measured in the blood immediately after exercise.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

Having the event in November will allow people to go all-out, said his performance partner Krizel Guiral, or "Zhel", dressed as Youko Kurama, the red-headed fox demon from the same Japanese manga and anime classic.

From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026

Iran may also try to avoid an all-out war because its weakened air defences, vulnerable industrial infrastructure and sanctions-constrained economy make rebuilding losses increasingly difficult and expensive.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Ding dusted off the same all-out approach China had used to produce its first atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs and satellites in the 1960s during a rift with the Soviet Union.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Really dressed all-out with a country way of talking and a old-style hat made out of purple plaid.

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

Starc finished with match figures of 10-51, following his 6-12 in the first innings as Bangladesh struggled to 64 all out.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

“Frank goes all out on what he does and that includes the bad things,” bandmate Dusty Hill, who died in 2021, said in the documentary.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

As it turned out, they were booked for six concerts, spread over four evenings, and sold them all out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Founder Mahendra Nahata said he was going all out to scale up production.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

It took me almost the whole ride home to get it all out.

From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan

Related Words

• full-blown
• full-scale