Cool MateCompletely vs Entirely vs Fully vs Thoroughly vs Totally
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Completely
Entirely
Fully
Thoroughly
Totally
| Completely | Entirely | Fully | Thoroughly | Totally | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/kəmˈpliːtli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kəmˈpliːtli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈtaɪəli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈtaɪərli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfʊli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfʊli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈθʌrəli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈθɜːrəli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈtəʊtəli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈtəʊtəli/"]/ |
| Meaning | Totally or fully. | Completely or fully. | completely or totally | In a detailed and complete way. | Completely or very much. |
| Example | I completely forgot about the meeting today. | The experience was **entirely new** to me. | I **fully understand** your motives. | We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. | I totally agree with your opinion on the matter. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | B2 | B2 | B2 | B1 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb | adverb | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | completely agree, completely understand, completely satisfied, completely different, completely unaware | entirely different, entirely possible, entirely subjective | fully aware, fully prepared, fully understand, fully loaded, fully engage | thoroughly enjoy, thoroughly check, thoroughly understand, thoroughly investigate, thoroughly cleanse | totally agree, totally awesome, totally different, totally in love |
| Antonyms | partially, incompletely, somewhat | partially, incompletely | partially, incompletely, slightly | superficially, partially, incompletely | partially, somewhat |
| 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. | Using 'fully' in place of 'very' which is not always correct., Confusing 'fully' with 'fill' in terms of spelling., 'Fully' is sometimes misused in contexts where 'entirely' or 'completely' fit better. | Using 'through' instead of 'thoroughly'., Confusing it with 'thorough', which is an adjective., Misplacing it in a sentence or using it in informal contexts. | 'Totally' is sometimes confused with 'complete.', Learners may use 'totally' in formal situations when it sounds too casual., Sometimes misused to modify nouns directly. |
| 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. | Use 'fully' to emphasize that something is done to the highest degree. Avoid using it in very casual speech where simpler words like 'really' may be preferred. | Use this word to describe actions done completely and carefully. It's suitable in both speaking and writing. Avoid in casual conversations where simpler words like 'really' or 'very' may be more common. | Use 'totally' to emphasize an absolute degree of something. It's neutral but can sound informal in some contexts. Avoid in very formal writing. |
Frequently asked questions: Completely vs Entirely vs Fully vs Thoroughly vs Totally
What's the difference between Completely, Entirely, Fully, Thoroughly, and Totally?
Completely: Totally or fully. Entirely: Completely or fully. Fully: completely or totally Thoroughly: In a detailed and complete way. Totally: Completely or very much.
Which is more common: Completely, Entirely, Fully, Thoroughly, and Totally?
Completely is the most common in everyday English.
Are Completely, Entirely, Fully, Thoroughly, and Totally the same CEFR level?
Completely: A2, Entirely: B2, Fully: B2, Thoroughly: B2, Totally: B1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Completely, Entirely, Fully, Thoroughly, and Totally?
Completely: adverb, Entirely: adverb, Fully: adverb, Thoroughly: adverb, Totally: adverb.
Can you show an example of each?
Completely: I completely forgot about the meeting today. Entirely: The experience was **entirely new** to me. Fully: I **fully understand** your motives. Thoroughly: We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Totally: I totally agree with your opinion on the matter.
Can I use Completely, Entirely, Fully, Thoroughly, and Totally interchangeably?
Not always. Completely, Entirely, Fully, Thoroughly, and Totally 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.