whole

[hohl]

adjective

1. comprising the full quantity, amount, extent, number, etc., without diminution or exception; entire, full, or total.

   He ate the whole pie. They ran the whole distance.

   Synonyms: complete, integral, undiminished
   Antonyms: partial

2. containing all the elements properly belonging; complete.

   We have a whole set of antique china.

3. undivided; in one piece.

   to swallow a thing whole.

4. Mathematics.,  integral, or not fractional.

5. not broken, damaged, or impaired; intact.

   Thankfully, the vase arrived whole.

   Synonyms: perfect, unimpaired

6. uninjured or unharmed; sound.

   He was surprised to find himself whole after the crash.

7. pertaining to all aspects of human nature, especially one's physical, intellectual, and spiritual development.

   education for the whole person.

noun

1. the whole assemblage of parts or elements belonging to a thing; the entire quantity, account, extent, or number.

   He accepted some of the parts but rejected the whole.

   Synonyms: aggregate, totality
   Antonyms: part

2. a thing complete in itself, or comprising all its parts or elements.

3. an assemblage of parts associated or viewed together as one thing; a unitary system.

whole

/ həʊl /

adjective

1. containing all the component parts necessary to form a total; complete

   a whole apple

2. constituting the full quantity, extent, etc

3. uninjured or undamaged

4. healthy

5. having no fractional or decimal part; integral

   a whole number

6. of, relating to, or designating a relationship established by descent from the same parents; full

   whole brothers

7. informal,  entirely without a factual basis

adverb

1. in an undivided or unbroken piece

   to swallow a plum whole

noun

1. all the parts, elements, etc, of a thing

2. an assemblage of parts viewed together as a unit

3. a thing complete in itself

4. considered altogether; completely

5. 1. taking all things into consideration

   2. in general

Other Word Forms

• wholeness noun
• self-whole adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of whole¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English adjective and noun hole, hool, Old English adjective hāl; cognate with Dutch heel, German heil, Old Norse heill; hale ¹, heal; spelling with w reflects dialect form

Word History and Origins

Origin of whole¹

Old English hāl, hǣl; related to Old Frisian hāl, hēl, Old High German heil, Gothic hails; compare _hale ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. as a whole, all things included or considered; altogether.

   As a whole, the relocation seems to have been beneficial.

2. on / upon the whole,

   1. in view of all the circumstances; after consideration.

      There were upsides and downsides, but on the whole I thought it best to make the trip now rather than later.

   2. disregarding exceptions; in general.

      On the whole, the neighborhood is improving.

3. out of whole cloth, without foundation in fact; fictitious.

   a story made out of whole cloth.

More idioms and phrases containing whole

• as a whole
• go whole hog
• on the whole
• out of whole cloth

Synonym Study

Whole, total mean the entire or complete sum or amount. The whole is all there is; every part, member, aspect; the complete sum, amount, quantity of anything, not divided; the entirety: the whole of one's property, family. Total also means whole, complete amount, or number, but conveys the idea of something added together or added up: The total of their gains amounted to millions.

Example Sentences

The cut lines have disrupted 911 emergency calls and internet and landline services, shut down at least one school and left whole city blocks in the dark.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The whole idea of fantasy sports leagues was to enable fans to be their own general managers — not to make money, but because we cared about the game so much.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Do they have enough work in the bank to be fit and strong enough to bowl consistently high pace across the course of a whole match and then back it up in subsequent matches?"

Read more on BBC

After a difficult doctor’s appointment with her mother recently, Thompson says she felt her whole body tensing up.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"The whole of London gets so busy with filming nowadays because there is so much of it, so it is great to use the Home Counties more and more," she says.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• full 
• perfect