entirely
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /ɛntˈaɪəli/
US
- /ɪnˈtaɪərli/
Description
- completely
- fully
- totally
- in every way
- without exception
"Entirely" means completely, with nothing left out. Think of it as something whole rather than just part of it. If you agree entirely with someone, you agree with them fully. It is often a little more formal than "completely" or "totally." You might say a story is entirely fictional, meaning none of it is true. Or you might feel entirely exhausted after a long day, when you feel tired in every way. The word adds a clear sense of fullness and completeness.
The word "entirely" describes something in a complete way, with nothing left out. It can show that something is true to the fullest degree, that an action covers the whole of something, or that there are no exceptions. It is close in meaning to "completely" and "totally," but it often sounds a little more careful or formal.
You often hear it when someone wants to add strong emphasis: "I am entirely certain that I locked the door." Here, the speaker means there is no doubt at all. In a sentence like "The project was entirely his idea," it means the idea belonged to him alone, not partly to someone else.
"Entirely" can also show full agreement or full acceptance. If you say, "I entirely agree," you mean you agree without any doubt or disagreement. You may also see it in phrases like "not entirely," which softens a statement: "I am not entirely sure" means "I am not completely sure."
The word works in both positive and negative situations. You can say, "The plan was entirely successful," or "The town was entirely destroyed by the hurricane." In both cases, it strengthens the statement by showing that the result is complete. So when something is described as entirely one way or another, the idea is that it is true fully, not partly.
Examples
- 1
Personal choice
The final decision is entirely yours.
- 2
Strong difference
Her new plan is entirely different from the old one.
- 3
Energy source
The house is powered entirely by solar energy.
- 4
Parenting alone
She raised the children entirely on her own.
Phrase
on your own
without help
- 5
Cause
The delay was entirely due to bad weather.
Pattern
due to + cause
caused by that cause
- 6
Partial agreement
I don't entirely agree with that.
Phrase
not entirely
not completely
- 7
Mixed opinion
The film wasn't entirely bad, but it was too long.
- 8
Uncertainty
We weren't entirely sure why he left so suddenly.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- entirelyadverb