Frequently Asked Questions About all

How is the word all distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of all are entire, total, and whole. While all these words mean "including everything or everyone without exception," all may equal whole, entire, or total.

all proceeds go to charity

When might entire be a better fit than all?

The synonyms entire and all are sometimes interchangeable, but entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added.

the entire population was wiped out

When could total be used to replace all?

In some situations, the words total and all are roughly equivalent. However, total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered.

the total number of people present

Where would whole be a reasonable alternative to all?

While in some cases nearly identical to all, whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away.

read the whole book