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
Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Bukele himself had been accused of negotiating with gang leaders, but vehemently denied that and later crushed the gangs in a years-long all-out offensive.
—Marcos Alemán, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Staff members scrambled to ferry them all out, the nurses clutching fire extinguishers, the residents wearing N95 masks.
—Jonathan Wolfe, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for all-out 
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Adjective
The Aussie world No. 173 won the first set with a display of all-out aggression, living with the defending champion for a set and a half.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Bukele himself had been accused of negotiating with gang leaders, but vehemently denied that and later crushed the gangs in a years-long all-out offensive.
—Marcos Alemán, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Adverb
Sýkora’s just one of those kids who leaves it all out there, stays around it, fights through contact and wills plays into existence.
—Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Staff members scrambled to ferry them all out, the nurses clutching fire extinguishers, the residents wearing N95 masks.
—Jonathan Wolfe, New York Times, 18 Jan. 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 29 Jan. 2025.
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