Entirely: Definition, Usage, and Examples

Meaning 1：completely (entirely)

entirely 🔊

/ɪnˈtaɪərli/

adv

It means completely or fully, with nothing left out or missing.

Glass entirely filled with water to the brim

completely 🔊

➕

/kəmˈpliːtli/

adv

To an absolute degree; without any exception, omission, or remaining part.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

entire (from Latin 'integer', meaning whole) + -ly (adverb suffix).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'enter tire' — imagine fitting a whole tire into a car, leaving nothing out.

📖 Example

After months of practice, she was entirely confident in her ability to give the speech in English. 🔊 After months of practice, she was entirely confident in her ability to give the speech in English.

🔗 Collocations

entirely different – completely unlike anything else

entirely responsible – fully accountable for something

entirely true – absolutely correct without any falsehood

🔄 Synonyms

completely (adv) – In every way or as much as possible.

totally (adv) – To the fullest extent; utterly.

wholly (adv) – Entirely; fully.

🚫 Antonyms

partially (adv) – Only in part; to a limited extent.

incompletely (adv) – Not fully; lacking some parts.

🌱 Derivatives

entirety (n) – The whole of something.

entire (adj) – Whole; having no part left out.

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'entirely' derives from Latin 'integer' (whole, untouched), which also gave us 'integer' in math. In English, it evolved through Old French 'entier' to mean 'complete'.