ab ‧ so ‧ lute ‧ ly S1 W3 /ˈæbsəluːtli, ˌæbsəˈluːtli/ BrE AmE adverb
1 . completely and in every way:
He made his reasons for resigning absolutely clear.
Are you absolutely sure?
This cake is absolutely delicious.
2 . used to emphasize something:
The burglars took absolutely everything.
Jim knew absolutely nothing about the business when he joined the firm.
He has absolutely no experience of marketing.
3 . absolutely not! spoken used when you strongly disagree with someone or when you do not want someone to do something:
‘Do you let your kids travel alone at night?’ ‘Absolutely not!’
4 . absolutely! spoken used to say that you completely agree with someone
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THESAURUS
▪ completely to the greatest degree or in every way:
That’s a completely different subject.
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Bad weather had completely destroyed the crops.
▪ totally/absolutely especially spoken completely:
I’m totally exhausted.
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He’s absolutely right.
▪ entirely completely – used especially in negative sentences or after ‘almost’:
I’m not entirely sure.
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The community is almost entirely dependent on farming.
▪ utterly completely – used especially to emphasize strongly disapproving words:
It was utterly impossible to work in the house.
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The whole thing is utterly absurd.
▪ fully completely – used especially to show that you completely understand something or that you have all the information you need:
He was fully aware of what was happening.
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The disease is still not fully understood.