quite

adverb

ˈkwīt How to pronounce quite (audio)
Synonyms of quite
1
: wholly, completely
not quite finished
2
: to an extreme : positively
quite sure
—often used as an intensifier with a
quite a swell guy
quite a beauty
3
: to a considerable extent : rather
quite near
see also:
quite a bit quite a few

Synonyms of quite

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Examples of quite in a Sentence

He felt that the world he had loved had quite gone. —Edmund Wilson, New York Times Book Review, 20 July 1986
The men who made love to the left-wing college girls were either medical students, who had contempt for them and forgot them, or jocks, who bragged falsely of having made conquests of quite other girls. —Renata Adler, Pitch Dark, 1983
In my opinion, my work … ain't quite good enough … —William Faulkner, in Faulkner in the University, (1959) 1977
Irene Franey, a little older than I, was quite a beauty —John O'Hara, letter, 30 Dec. 1963
“Are you quite finished?” “Not quite.” I am quite capable of doing it myself, thank you. They assured me that I was quite mistaken. We hadn't quite made up our minds. She's quite right, you know. I quite forgot your birthday. No one realized quite what was happening. Quite why he left is unclear. That is not quite what I said.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Elliot is quite awkward, perhaps the least likely candidate for someone like Erika to hand-select for this anything-but-straightforward arrangement. — ABC News, 29 July 2026 During the 2026 racing season, a fantastic filly named Counting Stars has been quite celestial and is shining as bright as any three-year-old currently, regardless of gender. — Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 SeriousFun research shows that the experiences have transformed millions of lives, helping to numb the trauma, alleviate some pain and, quite simply, give these kids their childhoods back. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026 Over the course of his 45-minute press conference Thursday, many viewers (including CNN reporters and editors) bristled at Warsh’s penchant for catchy turns of phrase that don’t quite … make sense. — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for quite

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from quite, adjective, quit

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quite was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing quite

Rhymes for quite

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Browse Nearby Words

quitclaim deed
quite
quite a bit
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quite. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

quite

adverb
ˈkwīt How to pronounce quite (audio)
1
: beyond question or doubt : completely
quite alone
quite sure
2
: more or less sense 1, rather
we live quite near the school

More from Merriam-Webster on quite

Nglish: Translation of quite for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about quite

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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