Wholly
adv.capable, hopefulformal
What it means
Completely and without leaving any part or reservation.
Reach for it when emphasizing total extent, inclusion, or commitment
The new entrance is wholly accessible from the street.
Choose between these
6- everyday
completely
when total extent should be stated plainly
not when Completely can modify completion or condition without the formal emphasis of wholly.
- professional
entirely
when every part of the statement or object is included
not when Entirely is neutral and may fit where wholly sounds emphatic or old-fashioned.
- professional
fully
when degree or participation reaches the intended limit
not when Fully can mean adequately rather than absolutely.
- formal
altogether
when considering the whole or reaching a total conclusion
not when Altogether can mean on the whole and may be less absolute.
- formal
without reservation
when complete agreement or support is the exact meaning
not when The phrase applies to attitudes, not physical completeness or accessibility.
- literary
utterly
when emotional emphasis on completeness is intended
not when Utterly often intensifies negative judgments and can sound dramatic.
Said against
3- partly
- partially
- incompletely
It naturally appears in
3- wholly owned
The workshop is wholly owned by its employees.
- wholly committed
She remained wholly committed while revising the method when evidence changed.
- wholly appropriate
The gentle humor was wholly appropriate for the memorial's closing story.
The word family
1Where this comes from
- Wiktionary, English adverb sense: entirely or fully opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.