Cool MateCompletely vs One hundred percent
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Completely
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adverb
One hundred percent
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Completely
| Completely | One hundred percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/kəmˈpliːtli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kəmˈpliːtli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //wʌn ˈhʌndrəd pəˈsɛnt//🇺🇸 //wʌn ˈhʌndrəd pərˈsɛnt// |
| Meaning | Totally or fully. | Completely or totally. |
| Example | I completely forgot about the meeting today. | I am one hundred percent sure about my decision. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | adverb | |
| Collocations | completely agree, completely understand, completely satisfied, completely different, completely unaware | one hundred percent accurate, one hundred percent engaged, one hundred percent committed |
| Antonyms | partially, incompletely, 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. | Using 'one hundred percent' without context, leading to confusion., Confusing with 'a hundred percent' which has the same meaning., Overusing in formal writing where simpler phrases would suffice. |
| 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. | Use in both speaking and writing to express totality or full agreement. Generally appropriate in any informal or formal context. |
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Frequently asked questions: Completely vs One hundred percent
What's the difference between Completely and One hundred percent?
Completely: Totally or fully. One hundred percent: Completely or totally.
Which is more common: Completely and One hundred percent?
Completely is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Completely: I completely forgot about the meeting today. One hundred percent: I am one hundred percent sure about my decision.
Can I use Completely and One hundred percent interchangeably?
Not always. Completely and One hundred percent 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.