intact

USAGE SUMMARY

"intact" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adjective used to describe something that is complete and undamaged. For example, "The vase arrived intact despite the rough journey."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Travel

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Despite being bowled out before lunch on the first morning, Warwickshire will fancy their chances of completing a remarkable turnaround, having moved to a position 278 runs ahead with three second-innings wickets intact.

The Guardian - Sport

It was confirmed that the prison's inventory of tools was intact and the focus was on outside contractors doing refurbishment work at the prison, which houses 3,000 inmates in the village of Dannemora, and was built in 1865.

The Guardian

He will have one eye on his fancy for the Grand National, the Jim Culloty-trained Spring Heeled, as well as the Championship table on Saturday afternoon, hopeful his side's position at the summit remains intact following Friday's trip to Brighton.

The Guardian - Sport

Pro-choice campaigners are hoping that Ford's paper will suggest some reform of the region's abortion laws and have promised legal action if the status quo, the near blanket ban on abortion, remains intact.

The Guardian

That said, most of the favourites escaped a helter-skelter day of peaks and troughs with their Tour hopes intact.

The Guardian - Sport

Andy Murray left Paris a day earlier than he would have liked, wounded by an eighth straight loss to Novak Djokovic, but he will arrive at Wimbledon this month with his reputation enhanced, his dignity intact, his position as No3 seed secure and his tennis in excellent shape.

The Guardian - Sport

If your brain is still intact at this age, you have an incredible perspective – it's a wonderful time to be living.

The Guardian - Travel

The protesters on the security perimeter won't have access to the TPP text, or to the millions of dollars that companies are spending to lobby for Fast Tracking the global deal, but at least they'll have an intact sense of irony, which is more than I can say for our nation's president.

The Guardian

Parts of the city are indeed pretty much intact from the bleak and sleazy past.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

This expands the tissue to nearly 5 times its normal size, while leaving the relative positions of proteins and other cellular structures largely intact.

The Guardian

She makes a good point later that the state exchanges set up under health care reform would remain intact, allowing states to pursue their own options – and many of them might try out their own single-payer systems, as Vermont is now.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "intact" to emphasize that something remains complete and undamaged after a potentially harmful event or situation. It's particularly effective when highlighting resilience or preservation.

Common error

Avoid using "intact" to describe abstract concepts that cannot be physically damaged. For example, instead of saying "the plan remained intact", consider "the plan remained unchanged" or "the plan was preserved".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "intact" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe their state of being complete, whole, and undamaged. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Sport

12%

Travel

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Science

3%

Opinion

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adjective "intact" describes something that remains whole, complete, and undamaged. As verified by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and widely used in various contexts, particularly in News & Media, Sport, and Travel. While the term maintains a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communication, it's best used to describe concrete objects, avoiding application to abstract concepts that can't suffer physical harm. Alternative phrases like "undamaged", "unharmed", and "whole" can be used depending on the context to convey similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

undamaged

Focuses specifically on the absence of damage.

unharmed

Highlights the absence of injury or hurt.

unscathed

Emphasizes surviving without suffering any injury or damage.

whole

Indicates completeness and unity, without parts missing.

complete

Stresses that nothing is lacking or missing.

unbroken

Implies that something has not been fractured or disrupted.

untouched

Suggests something has not been altered or affected.

preserved

Focuses on maintaining something in its original condition.

in one piece

Colloquial expression indicating something is not broken.

in perfect condition

Emphasizes the high quality and undamaged state.

FAQs

How to use "intact" in a sentence?

Use "intact" to describe something that remains whole, complete, and undamaged. For instance, "The building remained "intact" after the storm", or "Despite the challenges, their relationship remained "intact"".

What can I say instead of "intact"?

You can use alternatives like "undamaged", "unharmed", or "whole" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "intact" or "impact"?

"Intact" means whole and undamaged, while "impact" refers to the effect or influence of something. They are not interchangeable. For example, "The vase arrived "intact"", versus "The new law had a significant "impact"".

What's the difference between "intact" and "untouched"?

"Intact" implies that something has survived without damage, while "untouched" suggests something hasn't been physically handled or altered. A historical artifact might be "intact" but not "untouched", as it may have been cleaned or restored.