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Synonyms

as a whole

Idioms  

  1. All parts or aspects considered, altogether, as in I like the play as a whole, though the second act seemed somewhat slow. [Early 1800s] Also see on the whole.

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.

John Turner, from Visit Somerset, is worried about the impact of the economic squeeze on the industry as a whole.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

A few potential jurors who expressed distrust toward the AI industry as a whole were also asked about their biases.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

That complicates counter-measures by the state, which could be seen as an attack on the clan as a whole.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

These details also help scientists better reconstruct the environment it lived in and expand knowledge of multituberculates as a whole.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

The theory is, when black individuals achieve power for themselves, black people as a group benefit, as does society as a whole.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

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.