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Meaning & use

quite

adverb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/kwaɪt/
US/kwaɪt/

Meanings

  1. adverbnot comparable

    To a moderate or fairly large degree, more than a little but less than very.

    Grammar: Goes before an adjective or adverb: quite good, quite slowly; before a/an it comes first: quite a good idea.

    Patterns

    • quite a lot
    • quite a few
    • quite + adjective

    The film was quite good, though a bit long.

    It is quite cold this morning, so take a coat.

    She plays the piano quite well for a beginner.

  2. adverbnot comparable

    Completely or absolutely, used with words that cannot be graded or with a clear negative.

    Grammar: Strengthens ungradable words: quite impossible, not quite ready.

    Patterns

    • not quite
    • quite sure
    • quite right

    I am quite certain that I locked the door.

    The two designs are quite different.

    He was quite alone in the empty hall.

  3. adverbnot comparableBritishold-fashioned

    Used to show you agree completely with what someone has just said.

    Grammar: Used alone as a reply, mostly in British English: Quite.

    Patterns

    • Quite!
    • quite so

    "It was an unfair decision." "Quite."

    "We should have left earlier." "Quite so."

    "That was hardly his fault." "Quite right."

Common combinations

quite a bit
We learned quite a bit on the tour.
quite a few
Quite a few students stayed after class.
not quite
The soup is not quite hot enough.
quite right
You are quite right about the date.
quite sure
I am quite sure the train leaves at six.

Synonyms and how they differ

fairly
Fairly nearly always means a moderate degree, while quite can sometimes mean completely.
rather
Rather often hints that the result is more than expected, sometimes with a slightly negative feeling.
pretty
Pretty is more casual and mostly American, with a similar moderate meaning.
completely
Completely always means totally, but quite is only sometimes this strong.

Opposites

slightly

Word family

quiet adjective
making little noise; often confused with quite

Commonly confused: quite or quiet? quite or quit?

quite vs quiet

Quiet means making little noise, but quite is an adverb of degree; the last two letters swap places.

quite vs quit

Quit means to stop or leave something; quite has an extra e and is about degree.

Practice

The exam was not hard, but it was ___ long, so most students ran out of time.

Make it your own

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