whole
A1General
Definition
Meaning
An entire or complete thing; not broken, divided, or lacking any part.
Used to emphasize the entirety, unity, or wholeness of something, often implying an undamaged or integrated state. Can refer to a system or concept considered in its entirety.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily functions as a determiner (the whole story) or noun (a single whole). As an adjective, often pre-modifies a singular noun. Implies indivisibility or completeness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In US English, 'the whole [noun]' is more common than 'the whole of [noun]', though both are understood. British English uses both structures more freely. The idiom 'on the whole' is slightly more formal in AmE.
Connotations
In both varieties, 'whole' can imply health or naturalness in contexts like 'whole foods' (unprocessed). No significant connotative divergence.
Frequency
Very high frequency in both dialects. 'Whole' as a determiner (e.g., 'the whole day') is slightly more frequent in AmE corpus data.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the whole + [singular noun]the whole of + [noun phrase]a + [adjective] + wholeVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the whole nine yards”
- “on the whole”
- “go the whole hog”
- “a whole new ball game”
- “out of whole cloth”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"We need to consider the business as a whole." (Emphasizing strategic, integrated view.)
Academic
"The study examines the phenomenon as a complex whole." (Referring to a system or entity.)
Everyday
"I spent the whole weekend gardening." (Emphasizing duration/completeness.)
Technical
"In mathematics, a whole number is a non-negative integer." (Precise definition.)
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Rare/archaic) Not applicable in modern usage.
American English
- (Rare/archaic) Not applicable in modern usage.
adverb
British English
- (Informal) That was a whole other matter entirely.
- The structure was whole demolished in the blast.
American English
- (Informal) This is a whole new level of difficulty.
- I'm not whole convinced by that argument.
adjective
British English
- She ate the whole pizza herself.
- We need a whole new approach to this problem.
- He told the whole truth to the committee.
American English
- I spent my whole paycheck on groceries.
- That's a whole different story.
- They serve whole grain bread here.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I read the whole book.
- The whole class went on a trip.
- She was happy the whole time.
- He ate the whole cake.
- On the whole, I agree with your proposal.
- It took a whole week to finish the project.
- We need to look at the situation as a whole.
- The whole affair was handled with remarkable discretion.
- His argument rests on a premise fabricated out of whole cloth.
- The two departments merged to form a single, cohesive whole.
- The legislation was criticized for failing to address the needs of society as a whole.
- Her thesis deconstructs the notion of the 'body whole' in postmodern philosophy.
- The company's assets, taken as a whole, were significantly overvalued.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a **WHOLE** loaf of bread. The 'W' looks like a loaf, and you have the HOLE (sounds like 'whole') in the middle where a piece is missing? No, a WHOLE loaf has NO hole - it's complete!
Conceptual Metaphor
WHOLE IS A CONTAINER (e.g., 'the whole of Europe'), COMPLETENESS IS WHOLENESS (e.g., 'make someone whole' after injury).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'целый' when it means 'undamaged' (use 'intact').
- Do not use 'whole' for 'all' in plural contexts (e.g., 'all people', not 'whole people').
- "Весь" often translates to "the whole of" or "all the."
- Beware of false friend 'wholesale' (оптовая торговля) which is unrelated in meaning.
Common Mistakes
- Using with plural countable nouns incorrectly (e.g., 'the whole students' instead of 'all the students' or 'the whole student body').
- Confusing 'whole' (complete entity) with 'hole' (opening).
- Overusing 'the whole of' in American English where 'the whole' suffices.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'whole' INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'All' is used with plural and uncountable nouns (all students, all water), often with 'the' (all the time). 'Whole' is used with singular countable nouns (the whole story) and emphasizes the entity as a single, undivided unit.
Yes, particularly in British English (the whole of England, the whole of July). In American English, 'the whole' is more common (the whole state, the whole month), but 'the whole of' is still understood and used, especially before proper nouns.
Generally no. You cannot say 'the whole books'. Use 'all the books' or 'the whole set of books'. However, 'whole' can modify a singular noun that has a collective plural sense, like 'family', 'team', or 'population' (the whole team agreed).
It is an idiom meaning 'generally' or 'considering everything'. It is used to give a balanced summary or overall judgement (e.g., 'On the whole, the conference was a success, despite a few minor issues').