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Synonyms

totally

American  
[toht-l-ee] / ˈtoʊt l i /

adverb

  1. wholly; entirely; completely.

    The two sisters have totally different personalities.

  2. Informal. (used as an intensifier).

    I totally cried when the movie ended. That was totally not what I meant.

interjection

  1. Informal. definitely; absolutely (used to express complete agreement or strong affirmation).

    Yes, totally, he should apologize to you!

Etymology

Origin of totally

First recorded in 1500–10; total + -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.

AI hasn’t totally become friend rather than foe.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

Bern has said she is "totally blown away" by the responses she gets from girls and women to her story.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

His sentiment was so naive it led Fox News’ Jesse Watters to remark, “I’m not sure you totally get what people feel about that.”

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

That is a sea change, and it’s something I haven’t totally wrapped my mind around yet.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

I suddenly wished that while we were waiting, Mrs. Tracy would say something totally different, not about this girl, whoever she was.

From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott

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.