1
: made with maximum effort : thoroughgoing
an all-out effort to win the contest
: with full determination or enthusiasm : with maximum effort
—used chiefly in the phrase go all out
Synonyms
Adjective
- absolute
- arrant
- blank
- blooming [chiefly British]
- bodacious [Southern & Midland]
- categorical
- categoric
- clean
- complete
- consummate
- crashing
- damn
- damned
- dead
- deadly
- definite
- downright
- dreadful
- fair
- flat
- flat-out
- out-and-out
- outright
- perfect
- plumb
- profound
- pure
- rank
- regular
- sheer
- simple
- stark
- stone
- straight-out
- thorough
- thoroughgoing
- total
- unadulterated
- unalloyed
- unconditional
- unmitigated
- unqualified
- utter
- very
Adverb
Examples of all-out in a Sentence
Adjective
Grandpa got the all-out support of the family when he decided to remarry at age 72
an all-out effort to break open the door
Adverb
went all out for her New Year's Eve party—she even had fireworks!
Recent Examples on the Web
Amy Gallo, Harvard Business Review, 3 Feb. 2025
Most observers believe that an invasion is not imminent; the risk of an all-out war with the U.S., potentially killing hundreds of thousands of people, is too great.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
Shelby Stewart, Essence, 3 Feb. 2025
To settle it all out, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for all-out 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
What started as a disagreement over how to best handle a critical project had devolved into an all-out battle.
—Amy Gallo, Harvard Business Review, 3 Feb. 2025
Most observers believe that an invasion is not imminent; the risk of an all-out war with the U.S., potentially killing hundreds of thousands of people, is too great.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
Adverb
Toya lays it all out—Quad and Greg’s issues were long-standing, with years of unresolved conflict.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 3 Feb. 2025
To settle it all out, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for all-out
Dictionary Entries Near all-out
Cite this Entry
“All-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-out. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
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