altogether

[awl-tuh-geth-er, awl-tuh-geth-er]

adverb

1. wholly; entirely; completely; quite.

   altogether fitting.

   Synonyms: absolutely, totally, utterly

2. with all or everything included.

   The debt amounted altogether to twenty dollars.

3. with everything considered; on the whole.

   Altogether, I'm glad it's over.

altogether

/ ˌɔːltəˈɡɛðə, ˈɔːltəˌɡɛðə /

adverb

1. with everything included

   altogether he owed me sixty pounds

2. completely; utterly; totally

   he was altogether mad

3. on the whole

   altogether it was a very good party

noun

1. informal,  naked

Confusables Note

The forms altogether and all together, though often indistinguishable in speech, are distinct in meaning. The adverb altogether means “wholly, entirely, completely”: an altogether confused scene. The phrase all together means “in a group”: The children were all together in the kitchen. The word all can be omitted without seriously affecting the meaning: The children were together in the kitchen.

Word History and Origins

Origin of altogether¹

First recorded in 1125–75; variant of Middle English altogeder; all, together

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in the altogether, nude.

   When the phone rang she had just stepped out of the bathtub and was in the altogether.

Example Sentences

Whether she will survive in the court of public opinion is being treated as a separate matter altogether.

From BBC

Swimmers can be pulled out to sea by the currents, and the Weather Service is advising beachgoers to stay near lifeguard towers or avoid the water altogether.

From Los Angeles Times

Clearly, for now, the message is less about abandoning fasting altogether and more about tailoring it to an individual's risk profile.

From BBC

The band said to avoid cancelling the gigs altogether the Sunday 7 September show will move to Saturday 6 and the Monday 8th September show will move to Friday 12.

From BBC

“Caught Stealing” is merely a new chapter for Aronofsky, not a new story altogether, and as such, the themes are the same.

From Salon

Related Words

• absolutely 
• fully 
• perfectly 
• quite 
• thoroughly 
• totally 
• utterly 
• wholly