Altogether vs All Together | Definition & Spelling
Altogether is an adverb that means “completely” or “in all,” whereas all together is a two-word phrase that means “as a group.”
These words are homophones, meaning they are pronounced the same but have different meanings, which is why they’re often used incorrectly.
| Examples: Altogether in a sentence | Examples: All together in a sentence |
|---|---|
| After remodeling, we got rid of the furniture altogether. | The students gathered all together in the gym for their annual pep rally. |
| Altogether, we had a great time at the fundraising event. | Our family sang the happy birthday song all together at the end of the dinner party. |
| We resolved the time-sensitive issues altogether before moving on to the next task. | Let’s take a group photo with the faculty and staff all together. |
Altogether definition
“Altogether” is an adverb (i.e., a word that describes verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and complete sentences) that means “completely,” “entirely,” or “wholly.”
“Altogether” can also mean “all in all” or “on the whole.” When used in this sense, “altogether” is typically found at the beginning of a sentence or clause. Although it is sometimes used at the end of a sentence, this construction is more informal and can sound awkward.
| Examples: Altogether meaning “entirely” | Examples: All together meaning “all in all” |
|---|---|
| She decided to skip the company event altogether. | Altogether, the annual charity ball was a success. |
| The consultant’s recommendations were altogether absurd. | Although there were a few obstacles, altogether, the surprise party went well. |
| His most recent book was altogether too long, in my opinion. | The weather wasn’t ideal, but I enjoyed the day at the beach altogether. |
Remember, when used as an adverb, “altogether” is always spelled as one word.
- We had an altogether lovely time at the amusement park.
- We had an all together lovely time at the amusement park.
All together definition
“All together” is a two-word phrase that means “everyone or everything as a group.” In other words, when a group of people or things is doing something “all together,” everyone is doing it in unison.
“All together” is often used with a noun or verb in between the two words (e.g., “They packed all our belongings together”).
At the concert, we sang all the beautiful songs together.
We should buy all the plane tickets together so we can sit next to each other.
Let’s all dance together.
We watched the skit and all laughed together nonstop.
Remember, if you can rewrite the sentence to include a noun or verb in the middle, then the phrase you’re looking for is “all together,” not “altogether.”
- Let’s figure out these math problems all together.
- Let’s figure out all these math problems together.
- Let’s figure out these math problems altogether.
Frequently asked questions about altogether vs all together
- When can I use altogether?
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“Altogether” is an adverb, meaning you should use it when you want to describe a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a clause, or a sentence. It typically means “completely” or “entirely.” For example, saying “The plan failed altogether” is equivalent to saying “The plan failed completely.”
QuillBot’s paragraph rewriter can help you find new ways to express your desired meaning.
- What’s a synonym for altogether?
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Synonyms for “altogether” meaning “completely” include:
- Entirely
- Totally
- Wholly
When using “altogether” to mean “all in all,” synonyms include:
- In total
- All things considered
- On the whole
QuillBot’s paragraph rewriter can help you find new ways to express your desired meaning.
