totally only

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "totally only" is not standard in written English and may sound awkward or redundant.
It could be used in informal contexts to emphasize exclusivity or completeness, but it is generally better to avoid it. Example: "I totally only want to focus on the main issues during this meeting."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Under what conditions would an electric vehicle battery become drained beyond saving? A. An electric car's battery will fail totally only under extreme circumstances, according to Tesla.

The New York Times

Fooling around with him may have led to my being called names — especially after he said we went to third base, when we totally only went to second.

The New York Times - Magazine

When β ��� 8, the soot particulates can complete continuous passive regeneration totally only by relying on the mutual reaction of DPF internal reactants in this condition.

Applied Thermal Engineering

But his "graph" suggesting Europeans are taxed totally only slightly more than Americans while still getting health coverage, social security and college tuition is not true.

Huffington Post

After interviewing Rubio on his radio program Thursday, conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh said, "Most of the Republican Party is motivated totally only by politics.

Huffington Post

(North West will totally only smoke an e-cigarette, and the royal baby will only smoke behind mummy and daddy's back).

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

She seems to know this character totally but only reveals her story to the reader in small amounts.

Huffington Post

At the beginning of the show the previous night's total were totally wiped, only to be added to tonight's score after Final Jeopardy.

TechCrunch

Because we were made to understand.that circumcision will not eliminate totally but it will only reduce the chances.

Plosone

The TorchStars never get totally white — only a feeble blue — and they're not very bright.

The New York Times - Tech

If you concentrate totally for only five minutes... then you don't need to work for any longer than that.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal writing, avoid using "totally only". Opt for more precise and less colloquial alternatives like "exclusively" or "solely".

Common error

Avoid stacking intensifiers like "totally" and "only" as they can weaken your writing. Instead of "totally only", choose the single strongest word that conveys your intended meaning, such as "exclusively".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "totally only" functions as an adverbial modifier, aiming to emphasize limitation or exclusivity. However, its use is often considered redundant, as the word "totally" frequently adds little substantive meaning to "only". As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is not considered standard in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "totally only" seeks to emphasize exclusivity or limitation, but Ludwig AI analysis suggests it often falls short due to redundancy. While not grammatically incorrect, the addition of "totally" frequently adds little substantive meaning to "only". As seen in the examples, the phrase appears across various contexts, including news, science, and general writing, but more precise alternatives like "exclusively" or "solely" are generally preferred in formal settings. The informal nature of this phrase may be suitable for certain types of writing, but keep in mind that overusing intensifiers like "totally" could come across as awkward and weaken the overall impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely just

Replaces "totally" with "completely", intensifying the limitation.

entirely just

Uses "entirely" instead of "totally", stressing the completeness of the limitation.

absolutely only

Substitutes "totally" with "absolutely", emphasizing the exclusivity.

fully just

Stresses the absolute extent of the condition.

purely just

Emphasizes the limitation using "purely".

exclusively just

Uses "exclusively" to denote the single, unique aspect.

just completely

Reorders the original phrase while retaining similar emphasis.

solely and completely

Uses a stronger emphasis through the duplication of limitation using both 'solely' and 'completely'.

simply just

Indicates the plain or basic fact of limitation.

merely just

Highlights how the item is nothing more than limited.

FAQs

How can I use the phrase "totally only" in a sentence?

While not standard English, "totally only" can be used informally to emphasize exclusivity. For example, "I totally only want to focus on the main issues during this meeting."

What phrases can I use instead of "totally only"?

Alternatives include "completely just", "entirely just", or "exclusively just" depending on the desired emphasis.

Is the phrase "totally only" grammatically correct?

While not strictly incorrect, the phrase "totally only" is often considered redundant. The word "totally" doesn't add much meaning to "only" and can make the sentence sound awkward.

What's the difference between "totally only" and "just"?

"Just" is a simpler, more direct way to express limitation. Using "totally only" attempts to add emphasis, but often comes across as redundant. Opt for "just" or a more precise adverb like "exclusively".