VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

entire

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ɪnˈtaɪə/
US/ɪnˈtaɪɚ/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Including every part, with nothing left out; whole.

    Grammar: Comes before a noun, usually after the, a possessive or this: the entire day, my entire family.

    Patterns

    • the entire something
    • your entire something

    I spent the entire weekend painting the fence.

    The entire class passed the exam, which pleased the teacher.

    She has lived in the same village her entire life.

  2. adjectivebefore a nounformal

    Complete and unreserved, used for emphasis with words like trust, confidence or satisfaction.

    Grammar: A somewhat formal intensifier: entire confidence means total confidence.

    Patterns

    • entire confidence in someone

    The manager has my entire confidence.

    He gave the project his entire attention for six months.

  3. adjectiveafter a verbspecialistBritish

    Describing a male animal, especially a horse, that has not been neutered.

    Grammar: A technical word in animal breeding and riding; it can also appear after a noun: an entire horse.

    Patterns

    • an entire horse

    The breeder kept the colt entire in case he proved a good sire.

    Entire horses can be harder to handle in a busy stable.

Common combinations

the entire population
The entire population of the island fits in one small hall.
an entire day
We lost an entire day waiting for the delayed flight.
your entire life
She has dreamed of this moment her entire life.
the entire world
The news was shared by the entire world within hours.
entire confidence
The board has entire confidence in the new director.
in its entirety
The report will be published in its entirety next week.

Synonyms and how they differ

whole
Whole is the everyday equivalent and is also used for anything after the, as in the whole story, but entire sounds a little more emphatic.
complete
Complete says nothing is missing, while entire says nothing has been left out of a larger thing.
full
Full means filled up, and cannot replace entire in phrases like the entire day.
total
Total is used for counting up an amount or for emphasis, as in total silence, and is less natural before most countable nouns.

Opposites

partialincomplete

Word family

entirely adverb
completely, in every way
entirety noun
the whole of something, as in in its entirety
entireness noun
an uncommon word for the state of being whole

Commonly confused: entire or intact?

entire vs intact

Intact means undamaged and still in one piece, while entire means whole in the sense of every part being included.

Practice

The manuscript was published in its ___.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “entire”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words