completely at once

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "completely at once" is not standard in written English and may sound awkward.
It could be used in contexts where you want to emphasize doing something fully and simultaneously, but it is better to use more conventional expressions. Example: "I want to finish this project completely at once, without any interruptions."

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Do not extend the knees completely at once.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Tbilisi feels European, medieval and completely foreign all at once.

The Guardian - Travel

The language and tone of our text is bold, ironic, ridiculous, and completely serious all at once.

Vice

John Banville Bolaño arrived for the English-only world like a time-bomb, seeming completely inevitable and completely relevatory at once - how could we not have come of age reading this writer?

The Guardian - Books

"But the world has been spun into a completely different context, all at once -- boom! -- suddenly everything has changed, and the things that I thought would be perceived as quaint and corny, suddenly people found very touching.

The New York Times

Don't just act like a completely different person all at once.

WikiHow

During the post-failure stage, the newly formed rough joint surfaces, the shearing sliding and the resultant gouge rotation together cause some joint asperities are not completely sheared at once and the gouges are not completed grinded at once but they are gradually sheared or grinded, which is why there are more fluctuations during the post-peak stage of the force-shear displacement curve.

International Journal of Coal Science & Technology

They were self-conscious and completely un-self-conscious all at once, trying to catch a look at their reflections in the big glass doors as they headed out to the playground and began screaming.

The New York Times

Petraeus is one of the few former CIA directors and commanders of U.S. Central Command to be a household name, famous for his self-proclaimed ability to temporarily keep Iraq from completely going to hell all at once -- and for his splashy fall from grace involving sexytime with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.

Huffington Post

With a tale, the reader is asked to suspend disbelief completely and at once.

The Guardian - Books

Even when the oscillation energy is completely lost at once by the tip sample interaction, it amounts only to 24 kB T (when α = 0), comparable to the energy of ATP hydrolysis ∼20 kB T. In actual imaging experiments, such events of complete oscillation energy loss happen only very rarely, if at all.

Chemical Reviews

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity, consider using more common alternatives like "simultaneously" or "all at once" instead of "completely at once" to enhance readability.

Common error

Avoid using "completely at once" redundantly when the completeness or simultaneity is already implied in the verb. Redundant use weakens the impact of your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "completely at once" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating the manner and timing of an action or state. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in describing simultaneous and thorough occurrences.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Wiki

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "completely at once" is an adverbial phrase used to emphasize that an action is both thorough and immediate. Although understandable, it's not considered standard English and can sound awkward. Ludwig's AI indicates that it might be better to use more conventional expressions for clarity. Found in various contexts, including news, wiki articles, and scientific publications, its usage is infrequent. More common alternatives include "simultaneously" or "all at once". When in doubt, opting for these alternatives can enhance the readability and impact of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

entirely simultaneously

Emphasizes the action happening fully and at the same time.

fully at the same time

Highlights the completeness and synchronicity of the action.

all in one go

Suggests performing the action in a single, uninterrupted attempt.

in one fell swoop

Implies a sudden and decisive action that accomplishes everything at once.

altogether instantaneously

Combines the idea of totality with immediate occurrence.

wholly and concurrently

A more formal way to express complete and simultaneous occurrence.

totally in unison

Focuses on the unified and complete nature of the action.

utterly without delay

Emphasizes the immediacy and thoroughness of the action.

perfectly synchronized

Highlights the flawless timing and completeness of the action.

integrally and promptly

Suggests that the action is an essential part and occurs quickly.

FAQs

What does "completely at once" mean?

The phrase "completely at once" means something is done fully and simultaneously. It emphasizes that the action is both thorough and happens without delay.

How can I use "completely at once" in a sentence?

You can use "completely at once" to describe actions that occur fully and simultaneously. For example, "The world has been spun into a completely different context, all at once -- boom! -- suddenly everything has changed".

What can I say instead of "completely at once"?

You can use alternatives like "fully at the same time", "entirely simultaneously", or "all in one go" depending on the context.

Is "completely at once" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "completely at once" is not a standard phrase. It's often clearer to use alternatives like "all at once" or rephrase the sentence for better flow.