All — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective adverb pronoun noun /ˈȯl/

Meaning & Definition of All

All (adjective)

  1. the whole amount, quantity, or extent of
  2. as much as possible
  3. every member or individual component of

All (adverb)

  1. wholly, quite —often used as an intensive
  2. selected as the best (as at a sport) within an area or organization —used in combination
  3. only, exclusively

All (pronoun)

  1. the whole number, quantity, or amount, totality
  2. —used in such phrases as for all I know, for all I care, and for all the good it does to indicate a lack of knowledge, interest, or effectiveness
  3. everybody, everything

All (noun)

  1. the whole of one's possessions, resources, or energy

All (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to a full extent or degree

    "we are all out of milk"

    "I was all ready to leave at least ten minutes ago"

    similar: all of, all over, altogether, clean, completely, dead, enough, entire, entirely, even, exactly, fast, flat, full, fully, heartily, out, perfectly, plumb (chiefly dialect), quite, soundly, thoroughly, through and through, totally, utterly, well, wholly, wide, all the way, at length, down the line, down to the ground, for fair, in whole, to bits, to pieces, to the hilt, to the max
    related: absolutely, categorically, cold, downright, hands down, plain, stone, stone-cold, unqualifiedly, basically, by and large, chiefly, generally, largely, mainly, more or less, mostly, overall, predominantly, predominately, primarily, principally, substantially, abundantly, copiously, generously, greatly
    opposite: half, halfway, incompletely, part, partially, partly
    near: barely, hardly, just, kind of, marginally, minimally, scarcely, slightly, superficially, approximately, roughly, somewhat

  2. for each one

    "the score is three all"

    similar: apiece, each, per, per capita, a pop, a shot, a throw
    related: apart, discretely, independently, individually, respectively, separately, singly
    near: aggregately, altogether, collectively, together

All (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. not divided or scattered among several areas of interest or concern

    "you need to focus all your attention on this matter"

    similar: concentrated, entire, exclusive, focused, undivided, whole
    related: absolute, complete, full, lump, teetotal, thorough, total, unadulterated, unalloyed, unqualified, utter, comprehensive, intact, integral, perfect, unbroken
    opposite: diffuse, divided, scattered
    near: deficient, fragmental, fragmentary, halfway, incomplete, partial

All (pronoun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. every person

    "a joyous holiday to one and all!"

    similar: everybody, everyone, each and everyone, one and all
    related: anybody, anyone, somebody, someone
    opposite: nobody, none, no one

Related Entry: All-around (adjective)

All-around is a different word from All. The synonyms below are for all-around, not for all.

  1. not limited or specialized in application or purpose

    "an all-around garden rake that adjusts for any raking task, from raking lawns to delicate flower beds"

    similar: all-purpose, catholic, general, general-purpose, unlimited, unqualified, unrestricted, unspecialized
    related: mixed-use, multipurpose, broad, wide, nonspecific, unspecified, vague
    opposite: limited, restricted, specialized, technical
    near: bounded, circumscribed, confined, definite, demarcated, determinate, finite, qualified, dedicated, selective

  2. relating to the main elements and not to specific details

    "this saw has the top rating for all-around performance, but for small detail work it might not be your best choice"

    similar: bird's-eye, broad, general, nonspecific, overall
    related: comprehensive, inclusive, absolute, boundless, expansive, extensive, infinite, panoramic, sweeping, vast, wide, indeterminate, nebulous, nondescript, vague, unlimited, unrestricted, unspecified
    opposite: close-up, delineated, detailed, molecular, particularized, specific
    near: limited, restricted, specified, distinct, explicit, precise, sharp, comprehensive, elaborate, full, mapped (out), thorough, enumerated, inventoried, itemized, listed, individual, singular, particular, peculiar

  3. able to do many different kinds of things

    "an all-around player, as skilled on the pitcher's mound as he is at the batting plate"

    similar: adaptable, protean, universal, versatile
    related: general-purpose, mixed-use, multipurpose, well-rounded, able, ace, adept, experienced, expert, masterful, proficient, skilled, skillful, adjustable, alterable, changeable, elastic, flexible, fluid, malleable, modifiable, plastic, pliable, pliant, supple, variable
    near: limited, amateur, inexperienced

Related Entry: All around (adverb)

All around is a different word from All. The synonyms below are for all around, not for all.

  1. with everyone or everything taken into account at the same time

    "all around, she's our best athlete"

    similar: all told, altogether, collectedly, collectively, inclusively, overall, together, across the board, all in all, in the aggregate, on the whole
    related: broadly, generally, liberally, loosely, macroscopically, all over, completely, comprehensively, encyclopedically, entirely, exhaustively, fully, sweepingly, thoroughly, totally, wholly
    near: detailedly, microscopically, minutely, literally, narrowly, restrictedly, strictly, alone, categorically, distinctly, exclusively, fractionally, individually, separately, singly, singularly, solely, solitarily, specifically

Related Entry: All but (adverb)

All but is a different word from All. The synonyms below are for all but, not for all.

  1. very close to but not completely

    "dinner is all but on the table, so don't go anywhere"

    similar: about, almost, borderline, fair (chiefly British), fairly, feckly (chiefly Scottish), more or less, most, much, near, nearly, next to, nigh, practically, somewhere, virtually, well-nigh, as good as, just about, pretty much, within an inch of
    related: appreciably, by and large, chiefly, largely, mainly, mostly, kind of, partially, partly, somewhat
    near: absolutely, altogether, completely, entirely, fully, plain, plumb (chiefly dialect), quite, thoroughly, totally, utterly, well, wholly, barely, hardly, scarcely

Related Entry: All-embracing (adjective)

All-embracing is a different word from All. The synonyms below are for all-embracing, not for all.

  1. covering everything or all important points

    "an all-embracing explanation for the great diversity of life on the planet"

    similar: all-in (chiefly British), all-inclusive, broad-gauge, compendious, complete, comprehensive, cover-all, cyclopedic, embracive, encyclopedic, exhaustive, full, global, in-depth, inclusive, omnibus, panoramic, thorough, universal
    related: broad, catholic, encyclical, general, inclusionary, overall, cosmic, extensive, far, far-reaching, grand, large, panoptic, sweeping, vast, wide, wide-ranging, blanket, indiscriminate, unrestricted
    near: circumscribed, limited, narrow, restricted, specialized, exact, precise, individual, singular, specific, incomplete, patchy, sketchy

Related Entry: All-important (adjective)

All-important is a different word from All. The synonyms below are for all-important, not for all.

  1. impossible to do without

    "that all-important item for a successful birthday party: a fancily decorated cake with candles"

    similar: critical, essential, imperative, indispensable, integral, must-have, necessary, necessitous, needed, needful, required, requisite, vital, of the essence
    related: prerequisite, compulsory, mandatory, nonelective, obligatory, consequential, crucial, important, major, material, meaningful, momentous, significant, substantial, weighty, basic, central, fundamental, key, organic, insistent, persistent, pressing, urgent
    opposite: dispensable, inessential, needless, nonessential, unessential, unnecessary, unneeded
    near: undesired, unwanted, inconsequential, insignificant, unimportant, excess, external, extra, extraneous, superfluous, surplus

Related Entry: All-in (adjective)

All-in is a different word from All. The synonyms below are for all-in, not for all.

  1. covering everything or all important points

    "all-in seven-day tour of Scotland"

    similar: all-embracing, all-inclusive, broad-gauge, compendious, complete, comprehensive, cover-all, cyclopedic, embracive, encyclopedic, exhaustive, full, global, in-depth, inclusive, omnibus, panoramic, thorough, universal
    related: broad, catholic, encyclical, general, inclusionary, overall, cosmic, extensive, far, far-reaching, grand, large, panoptic, sweeping, vast, wide, wide-ranging, blanket, indiscriminate, unrestricted
    near: circumscribed, limited, narrow, restricted, specialized, exact, precise, individual, singular, specific, incomplete, patchy, sketchy

Related Entry: All in (adjective)

All in is a different word from All. The synonyms below are for all in, not for all.

  1. depleted in strength, energy, or freshness

    "was all in after an evening of dancing and partying"

    similar: aweary (archaic), beat, beaten, bleary, burned-out, bushed, dead, done, drained, exhausted, fatigued, jaded, knackered (British), limp, logy, played out, pooped (slang), prostrate, spent, tapped out, tired, tuckered (out), washed-out, wearied, weary, wiped out, worn, worn-out, worn to a frazzle
    related: overfatigued, overtaxed, overworked, broken-down, run-down, debilitated, enervate, enervated, enfeebled, sapped, weakened, drowsy, heavy, sleepy, lethargic, sluggish
    opposite: unwearied
    near: fresh, refreshed, rejuvenated, relaxed, rested, revitalized, active, energetic, invigorated, peppy, strengthened, strong, tireless, vitalized, weariless

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for All

The most common words with a similar meaning to All:

Chiefly dialect: plumb
all of, all over, altogether, clean, completely, dead, enough, entire, entirely, even, exactly, fast, flat, full, fully, heartily, out, perfectly, quite, soundly, thoroughly, through and through, totally, utterly, well, wholly, wide, apiece, each, per, per capita, all the way, at length, down the line, down to the ground, for fair, in whole, to bits, to pieces, to the hilt

Antonyms & Opposite Words for All

Words with the opposite meaning of All:

half, halfway, incompletely, part, partially, partly, diffuse, divided, scattered, nobody, none, no one

Related Words for All

absolutely, categorically, cold, downright, hands down, plain, stone, stone-cold, unqualifiedly, basically, by and large, chiefly, generally, largely, mainly, more or less, mostly, overall, predominantly, predominately, primarily, principally, substantially, abundantly, copiously, generously, greatly, apart, discretely, independently

Near Antonyms of All

barely, hardly, just, kind of, marginally, minimally, scarcely, slightly, superficially, approximately, roughly, somewhat, aggregately, altogether, collectively, together, deficient, fragmental, fragmentary, incomplete, partial

Origin & Etymology of All

Middle English al, all, alle, going back to Old English eall (West Saxon), all (Anglian), going back to Germanic *alla- (whence also Old Frisian al, alle "the whole of," Old Saxon all, Old High German al, all, Old Norse allr, Gothic alls), probably going back to *al-no- or *ol-no-, derivative of a base *ala-/*ola- seen in compounds (as Old English ælmihtig almighty:1, Old Saxon alohwīt "completely white," Old High German alawāri "quite true," Gothic alabrunsts "burnt offering," calque of Greek holokaútōma), of uncertain origin

First known use: before 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing All

allo-, all along, all-American, all-around, all but

Frequently Asked Questions about All

What does "All" mean?

"All" means the whole amount, quantity, or extent of. As an an adjective, an adverb, a pronoun and a noun, it is defined as: the whole amount, quantity, or extent of. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "All"?

Other words for "All" include all of, all over, altogether, clean, completely, dead, enough and entire. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "All" you intend.

What are different ways to say "All"?

There are 107 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "All". Common alternatives include all of, all over, altogether, clean, completely, dead, enough, entire, entirely and even.

What is the opposite of "All"?

Antonyms of "All" include half, halfway, incompletely, part, partially, partly, diffuse and divided. Near antonyms include barely, hardly, just and kind of.

How do you use "All" in a sentence?

Examples of "All" in a sentence: "we are all out of milk"; "I was all ready to leave at least ten minutes ago"; "the score is three all".

Is "All" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"All" can be used as an adjective, an adverb, a pronoun and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "All"?

"All" is pronounced /ˈȯl/.

What is the origin of the word "All"?

"All" comes from Middle English al, all, alle, going back to Old English eall (West Saxon), all (Anglian), going back to Germanic *alla- (whence also Old Frisian al, alle "the whole of," Old Saxon all, Old High German al, all, Old Norse allr, Gothic alls), probably going back to *al-no- or *ol-no-, derivative of a base *ala-/*ola- seen in compounds (as Old English ælmihtig almighty:1, Old Saxon alohwīt "completely white," Old High German alawāri "quite true," Gothic alabrunsts "burnt offering," calque of Greek holokaútōma), of uncertain origin. First known use: before 12th century.