What does "entire" mean?
The whole of something; the entirety.
Entire
/ɪnˈtaɪə/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The whole of something; the entirety.
- Grammar: entire is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: full, total, absolute, absolute term.
- Useful contrasts: crenulate, eroses, fifth.
- Usage evidence: Regardless of the amount, Brian wants the correct, entire amount by next week.
How to use "entire"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "entire" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "entire" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "entire" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "entire" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "entire" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "full" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "entire", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The whole of something; the entirety. archaic, countable, uncountable
"In the entire of the Poems we never hear of a merchant ship of the Greeks."
- 2 uncastrated adult male horse wordnet
- 3 An uncastrated horse; a stallion. countable, uncountable
"He asked why Hijaz was an entire. You know what an entire is, do you not, Anna? A stallion which has not been castrated."
- 4 A complete envelope with stamps and all official markings: (prior to the use of envelopes) a page folded and posted. countable, uncountable
- 5 Porter or stout as delivered from the brewery. countable, uncountable
Adjective
- 1 Whole; complete. not-comparable, postpositional, sometimes
"We had the entire building to ourselves for the evening."
- 2 Having a smooth margin without any indentation. not-comparable
"Spores tetrahedral, paraphyses mastoid-claviform, scales smooth, entire."
- 3 Consisting of a single piece, as a corolla. not-comparable
- 4 Complex-differentiable on all of ℂ. not-comparable
- 5 Not gelded. not-comparable
"On top of that, he was entire, which meant his bloodline could carry on."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Morally whole; pure; sheer. not-comparable
"See now, whether pure fear and entire cowardice doth not make thee / wrong this virtuous gentlewoman to close with us."
- 7 Internal; interior. not-comparable
"Depp is the wound, that dints the parts entire"
Adjective
- 1 constituting the full quantity or extent; complete wordnet
- 2 constituting the undiminished entirety; lacking nothing essential especially not damaged wordnet
- 3 (used of domestic animals) sexually competent wordnet
- 4 (of leaves or petals) having a smooth edge; not broken up into teeth or lobes wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Regardless of the amount, Brian wants the correct, entire amount by next week."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "entire"?
Common synonyms include: full, total, absolute, absolute term, admitting no exception, aggregate.
How do you use "entire" in a sentence?
Regardless of the amount, Brian wants the correct, entire amount by next week.
How do you pronounce "entire"?
Pronounced /ɪnˈtaɪə/.
Etymology
From Middle English entere, enter, borrowed from Anglo-Norman entier, from Latin integrum, accusative of integer (“whole”), from Proto-Italic *əntagros (“untouched”). Doublet of entier and integer.