altogether
word
Definition
Used to talk about a total amount, or to mean completely. It can also be used to sum up a situation or give an overall judgment.
Usage & Nuances
Common in three patterns: 'X costs ... altogether' or 'there are ... altogether' for totals; 'not altogether' means 'not completely'; sentence-initial 'Altogether, ...' is more formal and means 'overall'. Do not confuse it with 'all together', which means 'in the same place or at the same time'.
Example Sentences
There are ten students altogether in the class.
basic
The trip was not altogether easy.
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It costs fifty dollars altogether.
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I’m not altogether sure that this is a good idea.
natural
We spent about two hundred dollars altogether, which wasn’t too bad.
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Altogether, it was a much better experience than I expected.
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