INDEX:
1. completely and in every way
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ PARTLY
see also
↑ COMPLETE/NOT COMPLETE
↑ ALL/EVERYTHING
↑ VERY
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1. completely and in every way
▷ completely /kəmˈpliːtli/ [adverb]
▪ The carpet is completely ruined.
▪ She felt completely relaxed.
▪ Keith’s dad was completely different from what I’d expected.
▪ I intended to give you the card on Saturday but I completely forgot.
▪ Sometimes the UK seems completely isolated from the main stream of European culture.
complete [adjective only before noun]
▪ He needs complete rest for a few weeks.
▪ The whole thing’s a complete waste of time.
▷ absolutely /ˈæbsəluːtli, ˌæbsəˈluːtli/ [adverb] especially spoken
say this when you strongly agree with something or approve of something, or to emphasize strong adjectives :
absolutely right/correct
▪ You’re absolutely right - we can’t all fit in one car.
absolutely marvellous/amazing/brilliant
▪ That’s an absolutely brilliant idea.
absolutely certain/sure
▪ Are you absolutely sure you don’t mind?
absolutely exhausted/soaked/ruined etc
▪ By the end of the day, I was absolutely exhausted.
absolute /ˈæbsəluːt/ [adjective only before noun]
▪ They have no absolute proof that he is the murderer.
▪ What absolute nonsense.
▷ fully /ˈfʊli/ [adverb]
use this especially to say that you have completely understood something or have everything that you need :
fully understand/realize/appreciate
▪ I can fully understand your concern.
fully aware/informed
▪ Please keep me fully informed of any developments.
fully furnished/equipped
▪ The house is fully furnished, including washer and dryer.
▷ totally /ˈtəʊtl-i/ [adverb]
use this especially to show that you completely disagree with something or that you are very annoyed about it :
totally refuse/ignore/reject etc
▪ He totally ignored my advice.
totally impossible/unacceptable/ridiculous etc
▪ What you’re saying is totally ridiculous.
▪ Myers said that a two-year prison sentence for rape was totally unacceptable and inadequate.
▷ entirely /ɪnˈtaɪəʳli/ [adverb]
completely and in every possible way - use this especially in negative sentences, or with ‘almost’ :
▪ At the very beginning of the project, Paul made it clear that he would be entirely in control.
not entirely
▪ I’m not entirely sure what she meant.
▪ The reasons for his departure weren’t entirely clear.
consist entirely of
▪ The audience consisted almost entirely of journalists.
depend entirely on
▪ The foundation depends entirely on voluntary contributions.
▷ wholly /ˈhəʊl-li/ [adverb]
in every possible way - use this especially in negative sentences :
not wholly responsible/reliable/committed etc
▪ The evidence we have is not wholly reliable.
▪ The commission found that the officer on duty at the time was not wholly responsible.
wholly unacceptable/unexpected/unfounded etc
▪ The city council’s proposals are wholly unacceptable.
▪ Help came from a wholly unexpected source.
▷ utterly /ˈʌtəʳli/ [adverb]
use this especially to describe things that are completely wrong, untrue, impossible etc :
utterly impossible/useless/worthless etc
▪ Without their help it would have been utterly impossible to arrange the conference.
▪ Whether you like her or not is utterly irrelevant.
utterly reject/spoil/destroy etc
▪ We utterly reject the philosophy of compulsory wage control.
utter [adjective only before noun]
▪ We all watched in utter amazement.
▪ The government is demonstrating utter stupidity in pursuing such a policy.
▷ positively /ˈpɒzɪtɪvli, ˈpɒzətɪvliǁˈpɑː-/ [adverb]
use this to talk about an extreme situation or something extreme that someone has done :
positively disgusting/harmful/dangerous etc
▪ The food in this place isn’t just bad, it’s positively disgusting.
▪ Her performance was positively marvellous.
▷ complete/total/absolute/utter /kəmˈpliːt, ˈtəʊtl, ˈæbsəluːt, ˈʌtəʳ/ [adjective only before noun]
use this to emphasize how strong a feeling or quality is or how bad a situation is :
▪ It was a complete surprise - I didn’t have any idea they were planning a party.
▪ Don’t pay any attention to him - the guy’s a total idiot!
▪ Nobody can say with absolute certainty how much oil there is in Alaska.
▪ By any measurement, our corrections program is an utter failure.
▷ in every way/respect/detail /ɪn ˌevri ˈweɪ, rɪˈspekt, ˈdiːteɪlǁ-dɪˈteɪl/ [adverb]
use this to say that something is true in every detail or part :
▪ The two drawings are identical in every way.
▪ The plans are unworkable in every respect.
▷ in every sense /ɪn ˌevri ˈsens/ [adverb]
use this when a word or phrase that you say is true in every possible way that it could be understood :
▪ There are still men who want to be in every sense, the "head of the household'.
in every sense of the word
▪ She was a true sportswoman -- a professional in every sense of the word.
▷ through and through /ˌθruː ən ˈθruː/ [adverb]
if someone is good, bad etc through and through, every part of their character and behaviour shows that they are like that :
▪ Don’t trust him. He’s rotten through and through.
▪ Einstein was a realist through and through.
▪ After 30 years in Queensland, he felt he was an Australian through and through.
▷ whole-heartedly /ˌhəʊl ˈhɑːʳtə̇dli/ [adverb]
whole-heartedly agree/approve/support etc
completely and willingly :
▪ Her father whole-heartedly approved of their decision to get married.
▪ Rowan whole-heartedly agreed that the company needed to do more to improve its ties to the community.
whole-hearted [adjective]
▪ The government has agreed to give the plan its whole-hearted support.