entirely
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
completely or 100%; used to show that something is true in every way.
to the full or entire extent; used as a maximizer to indicate total completion or absolute degree.
Simple“I am not entirely sure if the shop is still open at this hour.”
In context“The success of the project depends entirely on the team's ability to coordinate their efforts across different time zones.”
UsageUsually placed before an adjective or a verb to emphasize a total state.
- 02 C1 Advanced
only or purely; used when there is nothing else involved.
to the exclusion of others; used to indicate that a situation or cause is restricted to a single factor.
Simple“The book is entirely about her life growing up in a small village.”
In context“The committee's decision was based entirely on the financial reports, disregarding the social implications of the proposed cuts.”
UsageOften used in formal contexts to isolate a single cause or reason.
Synonyms
Usage entirely new · entirely different · entirely accurate
“In Hungary, Prime Minister Péter Magyar warned last month that the Soviet-era Paks, which has four nuclear reactors, could be forced to shut down entirely for the first time.”
“And some coffee shops have become so fancy that they have lost the coffee entirely.”
From Middle English entyerly, entierly, enterely, entyreliche, equivalent to entire + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.