Meaning & use
total complete
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Meanings
phrasebefore a nouninformal
Used before a noun to mean complete in every way, with nothing missing or partly done.
Grammar: Comes directly before a noun: a total complete change. It is not used after a verb.
Patterns
- a total complete + noun
The building was a total complete mess after the storm.
What we saw was a total complete change from the old design.
Her answer was a total complete surprise to everyone in the room.
phraseafter a verbinformal
Used after a linking verb to say that something is entirely finished or has every part.
Grammar: Follows verbs like be, seem, or look: The set is total complete.
Patterns
- be total complete
- seem total complete
By Friday the report was total complete.
The puzzle looks total complete now that the last piece is in.
Common combinations
- a total complete failure
- The first attempt was a total complete failure, so they started again.
- a total complete mess
- After the party the kitchen was a total complete mess.
- a total complete change
- Moving abroad was a total complete change for the whole family.
- a total complete surprise
- The announcement came as a total complete surprise to the staff.
- a total complete success
- The charity event was a total complete success.
Synonyms and how they differ
- complete
- This is the normal word; 'total complete' adds emphasis but is not standard in careful writing.
- total
- 'Total' alone often means the whole amount or degree, while 'total complete' stresses that nothing at all is missing.
- absolute
- 'Absolute' is a more formal way to add emphasis before a noun, as in an absolute disaster.
Opposites
Word family
- complete verb
- to finish something or make it whole
- completely adverb
- in every way; totally
- completion noun
- the act of finishing something
- totally adverb
- completely; used for emphasis
Commonly confused: total complete or completely complete? total complete or totally complete?
total complete vs completely complete
'Completely complete' uses an adverb with an adjective, while 'total complete' puts two adjectives together, which is unusual and mainly informal.
total complete vs totally complete
'Totally complete' is the more standard pairing of adverb plus adjective; 'total complete' is not the usual written form.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'total complete' in the most natural way?
Choose one answer.
'Total complete' works as an emphatic phrase before a noun, as in 'a total complete success'. The other options wrongly use it as a verb or adverb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “total complete”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.