intact
Americanadjective
-
not altered, broken, or impaired; remaining uninjured, sound, or whole; untouched; unblemished.
The vase remained intact despite rough handling.
-
not changed or diminished; not influenced or swayed.
Despite misfortune, his faith is still intact.
-
complete or whole, especially not castrated or emasculated.
-
having the hymen unbroken; virginal.
adjective
Usage
What are other ways to say intact? Something that is intact is not altered, broken, or impaired. How does intact compare to synonyms entire, complete, and perfect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of intact
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin intāctus untouched, equivalent to in- in- 3 + tāctus, past participle of tangere to touch
Explanation
If something is intact it's still in one piece. If you'd like your sand castle to remain intact, I suggest you build it away from the water. The Latin word intactus means “untouched,” but today something is intact if it's whole, if it hasn't fallen apart. After a long day at work, you might feel lucky to be intact. Your letter to the post office states that you would prefer your packages to arrive intact from now on.
Vocabulary lists containing intact
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Tangerine
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ACT Vocabulary List
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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.
"This is the first time we've put an intact Starship in the water."
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
Weapons stored inside these collapsed sites were left intact, and Iran has since been digging them out, they said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Sony said the renovations will honor “its historic legacy and singular moviegoing experience,” leaving the iconic red and blue exterior lettering intact.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Their customized workflow allowed them to observe protein interactions directly inside intact cells rather than relying only on samples that had been broken apart.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
I jump down from the flat car, check my intact arm once more, and stalk off.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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.
