Cool MateCompletely vs Entirely
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Completely
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adverb
Entirely
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
Most common: Completely
| Completely | Entirely | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/kəmˈpliːtli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kəmˈpliːtli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈtaɪəli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈtaɪərli/"]/ |
| Meaning | Totally or fully. | Completely or fully. |
| Example | I completely forgot about the meeting today. | The experience was **entirely new** to me. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | B2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | completely agree, completely understand, completely satisfied, completely different, completely unaware | entirely different, entirely possible, entirely subjective |
| Antonyms | partially, incompletely, somewhat | partially, incompletely |
| Common mistakes | Using 'completely' without a verb or action., Confusing 'completely' with 'totally' in formal contexts., Saying 'completely' in casual situations where simpler words like 'really' might fit better. | Confused with 'entire' which is an adjective., Used incorrectly in informal contexts, such as in slang., Misplaced in a sentence, making it sound awkward. |
| Usage notes | Use 'completely' to emphasize the totality of an action or state. It's suitable for both spoken and written English but might sound overemphasized in casual conversation. | Used to emphasize completeness. Suitable in both spoken and written contexts; however, avoid in overly casual conversations. |
Frequently asked questions: Completely vs Entirely
What's the difference between Completely and Entirely?
Completely: Totally or fully. Entirely: Completely or fully.
Which is more common: Completely and Entirely?
Completely is the most common in everyday English.
Are Completely and Entirely the same CEFR level?
Completely: A2, Entirely: B2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Completely and Entirely interchangeably?
Not always. Completely and Entirely are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.