to what extent

American  

[too wuht ik-stent, wot, hwuht, hwot] / ˌtu ˈwʌt ɪkˈstɛnt, ˈwɒt, ˈʰwʌt, ˈʰwɒt /

idiom

1. to how great a degree; how much, how far, how well, etc..

   To what extent were you acquainted with the deceased?

   These tests will help determine to what extent his memory has deteriorated.

---

Etymology

Origin of to what extent

First recorded in 1615–25

Example Sentences

Terner Center managing director Ben Metcalf said it’s unclear to what extent those savings might reflect that cheaper projects just happened to apply for funding from LACAHSA.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

It was not immediately clear to what extent supply might be impacted.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

"It's a new tool, so we don't really know to what extent it's going to work," he says.

From Science Daily • Feb. 4, 2026

"I wonder to what extent people are opting not to travel to jobs, in ways that they might have previously, because for example we created those posts during the pandemic," she said.

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026

“To a certain extent,” he’d said—but to what extent?

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart