ENGLISH
REFERENCE

all the way

idiom.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

idiom. to do something completely or go to the very end of a journey or process.

idiom. an idiomatic expression indicating the full extent or completion of an action, distance, or commitment; often used to emphasize total support or maximum effort.


SIMPLE

If you want to win, you have to go all the way.

CONTEXTUAL

We drove all the way to the coast just to see the sunset for ten minutes.

COMPLEX

The legal team is prepared to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court if the initial appeal is rejected.

Usage

often follows verbs of movement like 'go', 'drive', or 'carry' to emphasize distance or intensity.

Teaching tip

highlight that this phrase can be literal (distance) or figurative (effort/commitment); it is a useful intensifier to replace 'completely' or 'entirely' in spoken English.

Pitfall

He went all way to London.He went all the way to London.the definite article 'the' is a fixed part of this expression and cannot be omitted.

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