On the whole Meaning in English
expression
ON-thuh-HOHL
ON-thuh-HOHL
Definition
Used to mean 'in general' or 'considering everything together.' It summarizes the main idea when looking at all the parts.
Usage & Nuances
Semi-formal or neutral. Common in writing and speech to introduce a summary opinion. Similar to 'in general,' but often used at the beginning of a sentence. Not for details or specifics.
Spanish: en general - en conjuntoPortuguese (BR): no geral - de modo geralPortuguese (PT): no geral - de um modo geralChinese (Simplified): 总体上 - 整体而言Chinese (Traditional): 總體來說 - 整體而言Hindi: कुल मिलाकर - संपूर्ण रूप सेArabic: عمومًا - بشكل عامBengali: মোটের উপর - সব মিলিয়েRussian: в целом - в общемJapanese: 全体的に見て - 概してVietnamese: nhìn chungKorean: 전체적으로 - 대체로Turkish: genel olarak - bütün olarakUrdu: مجموعی طور پرIndonesian: secara keseluruhan - pada umumnya
Example Sentences
On the whole, the trip was a success.
basic
The movie, on the whole, was enjoyable.
basic
On the whole, students liked the new teacher.
basic
I have some complaints, but on the whole I’m happy with the service.
natural
On the whole, things turned out better than we expected.
natural
You’ll find, on the whole, that people here are pretty friendly.
natural