entirely
Americanadverb
-
wholly or fully; completely or unreservedly.
I am not entirely satisfied with the architect's design.
- Synonyms:
- thoroughly, totally
-
solely or exclusively.
adverb
-
without reservation or exception; wholly; completely
-
solely or exclusively; only
Etymology
Origin of entirely
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at entire, -ly
Explanation
A white shirt that becomes covered entirely with mud is so completely and totally cloaked that no white will show through. Likewise, if your carelessness is entirely to blame for the muddied shirt, it was your fault and no one else's. The word entirely describes the idea of completeness and wholeness. For instance, someone could be entirely focused on a book they're reading, showing that it has their full attention. A room cleaned entirely has no dust or clutter anywhere, and a story told entirely includes every detail. Something done entirely by one person has been wholly completed by that one person.
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.
Although the influence is clear, it would be unfair to paint Vitor with a Klopp-shaped brush entirely.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
Rather than relying entirely on enzymes released into the environment, the bacteria might be able to break down the material directly at their surfaces.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
"This procedure is entirely different from what has been done in the past," former election commissioner Ashok Lavasa told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
The state is one of eight that allow all elections to be conducted entirely by mail.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Feeling self-conscious about the elaborate mother-of-pearl comb I’d planned to wear today, I’d left my hair unadorned entirely and now I worried that it made me seem even younger than I was.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
