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entirely

American  
[en-tahyuhr-lee] / ɛnˈtaɪər li /

adverb

  1. wholly or fully; completely or unreservedly.

    I am not entirely satisfied with the architect's design.
    Synonyms:
    thoroughly, totally

  2. solely or exclusively.

entirely British  
/ ɪnˈtaɪəlɪ /

adverb

  1. without reservation or exception; wholly; completely

  2. solely or exclusively; only

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of entirely

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at entire, -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.

The company acquired defense startups and invested in an entirely new business in which it had no prior experience.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

This does not mean binary stars lack planets entirely.

From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026

That was not entirely unusual in the disco era.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

On the surface, that faith would appear entirely unfounded.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

What’s even scarier is that I’m not entirely sure what it means.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

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.