What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
entire
Example
I ate the entire pizza by myself. [entire: adjective]
Example
The entire class was present for the field trip. [entire: adjective]
total
Example
The total cost of the project was $10,000. [total: noun]
Example
She spent a total of three hours studying for the exam. [total: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Total is more commonly used than entire in everyday language. Total is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while entire is less common and tends to be used in more specific contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between entire and total?
Both entire and total are neutral in terms of formality and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
