wholly

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the phrase "wholly" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to emphasize that something is complete or entire, often in contexts where you want to convey totality. Example: "She was wholly committed to the project, dedicating all her time and energy to its success."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This is wholly untrue.

The New York Times

Multimap will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft, which did not disclose the price of the acquisition.

The Guardian

Wistrich said: "The officers who shot Jean Charles have a defence if they had an honest belief that they were under imminent threat, even if they were mistaken and their mistake was wholly unreasonable".

The Guardian

As Maggie O'Farrell put it in her Guardian review: "The stories wrap themselves around the wholly disconcerting premise that catastrophes can rear up in anyone's life without warning".

The Guardian

This is wholly disproportionate and ripe for challenge.

The Guardian

On the fringes of the festive crowd gathered in Guildhall Square were a handful of republican dissidents who oppose Sinn Féin's peace strategy, some wholly through politics and others through the continuation of "armed struggle".

The Guardian

To precede the section concerned with the wholly disarming George, the 21st-century 15-year-old, Wood made an image of a CCTV camera.

The Guardian - Books

Nor, apparently, were his followers, many of whom "were neither racist nor wholly opposed to immigration".

The Guardian

"We'd had six divisional directors in the space of four years," she explains, before adding, with characteristic directness, "some of them didn't move on for wholly positive reasons.

The Guardian

This is all wholly possible, Jamie whispered, you can live this fantasy too.

The Guardian

He said the industry's conventional wisdom was it was better to carry out major disruptive work over holiday periods, but added: "This level of disruption is wholly unacceptable and I am confident that Network Rail will learn necessary lessons to stop these things happening again".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing formally, "wholly" can add a layer of sophistication. However, be mindful of your audience; in more informal settings, consider using alternatives like "completely" or "totally" for better clarity.

Common error

While "wholly" is grammatically correct, overuse in casual conversations or informal writing can sound stilted. Opt for more common adverbs like "completely" or "totally" to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "wholly" is to act as an adverb. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate the extent or degree to which something is done or exists. Ludwig AI confirms that it is used to emphasize the completeness of a state or action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

86%

Formal & Business

7%

Science

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "wholly" is a versatile adverb used to express completeness or exclusivity. Ludwig AI confirms that the term is grammatically correct and usable in written English, especially to emphasize totality. While versatile, "wholly" is most frequently found in news and media contexts, carrying a slightly more formal tone than alternatives like "completely" or "totally". To maintain natural language, consider the audience and context when choosing between these options. Remember that using "wholly" enriches your writing by adding precision and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Completely

This alternative focuses on the thoroughness of an action or state.

Entirely

This emphasizes the totality and undivided nature of something.

Totally

This highlights the absolute and unrestricted nature of something.

Altogether

This suggests a comprehensive and inclusive aspect of a situation.

Fully

This implies that something is at its maximum capacity or extent.

Exclusively

This focuses on the restriction of something to a particular individual or group.

Solely

This emphasizes that something is the only factor or reason involved.

Utterly

This implies a complete and often overwhelming degree.

Absolutely

This underscores the certainty and lack of exception.

In its entirety

This phrase explicitly denotes the complete and unabridged nature of something, often used in formal contexts.

FAQs

How can I use "wholly" in a sentence?

"Wholly" is an adverb that means completely or entirely. For example, you could say, "The project was "wholly successful"" or "She is "wholly responsible" for the outcome."

What words are similar to "wholly"?

Alternatives to "wholly" include "completely", "entirely", "totally", and "altogether". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it more formal to say "wholly" or "completely"?

"Wholly" is generally considered more formal than "completely". In academic or professional writing, "wholly" might be preferred, while "completely" is suitable for most situations.

When should I not use "wholly"?

Avoid using "wholly" in very informal conversations or casual writing where it might sound unnatural or stilted. Simpler words like "totally" or "completely" are often better choices in those contexts.