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entirety
/ɪnˈtaɪərti/
the whole of something
She reviewed the entirety of the report before submitting it.
She examined every part of the report without leaving anything out before sending it.
formal
The whole amount or extent of something considered as a single unit.
The lawyer insisted on examining the entirety of the evidence.
The lawyer required every piece of evidence to be reviewed thoroughly.
For the project to succeed, we must consider the entirety of the process.
To ensure success, every step in the process must be evaluated.
Often used in formal or academic contexts to emphasize completeness. Less common in casual speech.
Collocations
in its entiretycompletely, without exceptionthe entirety ofall of
Pro Tip
Avoid redundancy
Avoid pairing 'entirety' with words like 'full' or 'complete' (e.g., 'the full entirety' is redundant). Use 'entirety' alone for emphasis.
Gold Rule
Formal tone
Use 'entirety' in academic, legal, or technical writing. Reserve 'whole' for general contexts.
Word Origin
From Middle English *entir* (whole) + *-ety* (suffix denoting state or quality), ultimately from Latin *integer* (whole, intact).
Usage Notes
Prefer 'entirety' in formal writing to emphasize completeness. In everyday speech, 'whole' or 'total' are more common.
Word Breakdown
entire
complete or whole
root-ty
state or quality of
suffixEnglish Dictionary