B2adjective2K

Entire

UK /["/ɪnˈtaɪə(r)/"]/US /["/ɪnˈtaɪər/"]/

Definition

including everything, everyone or every part

In simple words: Whole or complete.

Examples

  • He ate the entire pizza by himself.
  • The entire team was present at the meeting.
  • She spent the entire afternoon reading on the couch.
  • The entire project was completed ahead of schedule.
  • He has lived in that city his entire life.

Usage notes

Use 'entire' when referring to something completely or fully. It's suitable for most contexts, except very casual conversations where 'whole' might be more common.

Grammar pattern

entire + noun

Memory hint

Think of 'entire' as 'in tire' - imagine a tire completely covering a wheel.

Collocations

  • entire country
  • entire book
  • entire team
  • entire life
  • entire scope

Synonyms

  • whole

Antonyms

  • partial
  • incomplete
  • broken

Common mistakes

  • Confusing 'entire' with 'whole' in informal situations.
  • Incorrectly using 'entire' with uncountable nouns.
  • Using 'entirely' when 'entire' is needed.