A2adjective2K

Whole

UK /["/həʊl/"]/US /["/həʊl/"]/

Definition

full; complete

In simple words: All of something; complete.

Examples

  • She ate the whole pizza by herself.
  • The whole class went on a field trip today.
  • He considers the whole experience to be valuable.
  • The whole cake was a big hit at the party.
  • I read the whole book in one weekend.

Usage notes

Use 'whole' when referring to something in its entirety. It is appropriate in both written and spoken contexts, but may sound less formal in academic writing. Avoid using it with specific countable nouns; instead, use with uncountable or collective nouns.

Grammar pattern

standalone adjective

Memory hint

Think of 'whole' as 'a whole pizza'—nothing is missing!

Collocations

  • the whole thing
  • the whole part
  • whole heart
  • whole number
  • whole community

Synonyms

  • (all) in one piece

Antonyms

  • partial
  • incomplete

Common mistakes

  • Using 'whole' with plural nouns (e.g., 'whole apples' instead of 'whole apple')
  • Confusing 'whole' with 'hole'
  • Misplacing 'whole' in a sentence (e.g., 'the whole of them' instead of 'all of them')