DictionaryAI

totally

adverb
SayTOH-tuh-lee/ˈtoʊ.tə.li//ˈtəʊ.tə.li/

3 meanings of totally

Practice

  1. 1
    completelyadverb
    Completely; in every part or respect, to the fullest degree.

    The two accounts of the accident totally contradict each other.

    By the end of the week the project budget was totally spent.

    UsageMost often with all-or-nothing words: totally wrong, totally different, totally destroyed.

    Similarcompletely, entirely, fully, wholly, utterly

    Oppositepartially, partly

    Note

    Built plainly from total + -ly, this is the original sense and a long-lived one: Shakespeare's The Tempest and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice both use it.

  2. 2
    veryadverbcolloquial
    Very; extremely, used to intensify the word it modifies.

    Her new apartment is totally gorgeous, and the rent is totally reasonable.

    He found the whole experience totally surreal.

    UsageGoes with words that come in degrees: totally awesome, totally ridiculous. In formal writing, use very or extremely.

    Similarreally, very, extremely

    Oppositeslightly

  3. 3
    for sureadverbcolloquialmodal
    Definitely; for sure, used to express strong agreement or certainty.

    "Are you coming to the party?" "Totally, I wouldn't miss it."

    We should totally do this again next summer.

    UsageCan answer alone (Totally.) or come before not: totally not fair means definitely not; not totally means not completely.

    Similardefinitely, absolutely, certainly, sure

    Note

    Here the word works on the whole statement, vouching for its truth rather than measuring anything.

Practice

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Origin

Formed from "total" combined with the suffix "-ly."

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 1 fact