all-out

1 of 2

adjective

1
: made with maximum effort : thoroughgoing
an all-out effort to win the contest
2

all out

2 of 2

adverb

: with full determination or enthusiasm : with maximum effort
used chiefly in the phrase go all out

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
Adjective
Directed by Jake Nava, the two musicians perform the track all-out. Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 9 Aug. 2024 What follows is an all-out blaze in the home that sprang local firefighters into action. Danielle Jennings, Peoplemag, 7 Aug. 2024
Adverb
Split Operation Two years later in Paris, the NBCU is going all out. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Aug. 2024 There is a lot to learn in the realm of personal finance — and sometimes trying to figure it all out feels like a crash course in reality. Becca Stanek, theweek, 29 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for all-out 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'all-out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-out was in 1840

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 18 Aug. 2024.

Kids Definition

all-out

1 of 2 adjective
ˈȯ-ˈlau̇t
: made with maximum effort : extreme
an all-out attempt to finish on time

all out

2 of 2 adverb
: with maximum effort
went all out to win

More from Merriam-Webster on all-out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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