Totally: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ˜Ž
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totally

 

[ หˆtoสŠ.tษ™l.i ]

Adverb
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Adverb

general

Completely and absolutely; in every way or respect.

Synonyms

absolutely, completely, entirely, fully, wholly.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
totally

Used in informal conversations to emphasize something or show agreement.

  • I am totally fine with that decision.
  • Totally, I can help you tomorrow.
completely

Used to describe something that is done in full or to express totality, often in a formal manner.

  • He was completely unaware of the situation.
  • The project is completely finished.
absolutely

Used to give strong affirmatives or when you want to emphasize that there's no doubt.

  • This is absolutely the best pizza I have ever had.
  • I absolutely agree with your point of view.
entirely

Used to emphasize that something is fully and without exception in a particular way, often in formal or written contexts.

  • I am not entirely convinced by your argument.
  • The book is entirely based on true events.
wholly

Used to emphasize completeness in a formal or literary manner.

  • The plan was wholly successful.
  • He was wholly unaware of the danger.
fully

Used to indicate that something is done to the fullest extent or degree.

  • She is fully responsible for the outcome.
  • The tank is fully loaded.

Examples of usage

  • I totally agree with you.
  • She was totally unprepared for the exam.
  • He totally nailed the presentation.
  • We totally forgot about the meeting.
  • They were totally surprised by the news.
Context #2 | Adverb

colloquial

Used for emphasis or to convey a sense of certainty or agreement.

Synonyms

absolutely, certainly, definitely, for sure, indeed.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

arrow down
Word Description / Examples
totally

Use in informal conversations to express strong agreement or complete extent of something.

  • I'm totally ready for the trip
  • That movie was totally awesome!
absolutely

Emphasize agreement or strong conviction, often in formal situations.

  • I am absolutely confident in our decision
  • The result was absolutely amazing
definitely

Strong assertion or agreement with a hint of emphasis, suitable for informal and semi-formal contexts.

  • I definitely need a break
  • That was definitely the best decision we made
certainly

Express a high degree of certainty or politeness, often formal or semi-formal.

  • I will certainly attend the meeting
  • That dish is certainly delicious
indeed

Formal affirmation, often used to add emphasis or confirm a previous statement.

  • She is indeed the new manager
  • That was indeed an unexpected outcome
for sure

Casual affirmation or agreement, commonly used in informal speech.

  • I'll be there at 8, for sure
  • She's the best singer in the group, for sure

Examples of usage

  • I totally understand what you mean.
  • She totally deserves that promotion.
  • He's totally coming to the party.
  • We're totally going to win the game.
  • They're totally the best team in the league.

Translations

Translations of the word "totally" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น totalmente

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคชเฅ‚เคฐเฅ€ เคคเคฐเคน เคธเฅ‡

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช vรถllig

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ sepenuhnya

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฟะพะฒะฝั–ัั‚ัŽ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ caล‚kowicie

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๅฎŒๅ…จใซ (kanzen ni)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท totalement

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ totalmente

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท tamamen

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์™„์ „ํžˆ (wanjeonhi)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุชู…ุงู…ุง

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ zcela

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ รบplne

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅฎŒๅ…จๅœฐ (wรกnquรกn de)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ popolnoma

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ algerlega

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ั‚ะพะปั‹า“ั‹ะผะตะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒกแƒ แƒฃแƒšแƒ˜แƒแƒ“ (sruliad)

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ tamamilษ™

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ totalmente

Etymology

The word 'totally' originated in the late 19th century as a combination of 'total' and the adverbial suffix '-ly'. It has evolved over time to be commonly used in informal and colloquial speech to emphasize agreement, certainty, or completeness.

See also: teetotal, teetotaler, totalable, totaling, totalistic, totalitarian, totality, totalizer.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,064, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.