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Entirely vs Mostly - What's the difference?

entirely | mostly |

As adverbs the difference between entirely and mostly

is that entirely is to the full or entire extent while mostly is mainly or chiefly; for the most part; usually, generally, on the whole.

entirely

English

Alternative forms

* entierly (chiefly archaic) * intirely (archaic or nonstandard)

Adverb

(-)
  • To the full or entire extent.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=May 15, author=Scott Tobias, work=The Onion AV Club
  • , title= Film: Reviews: The Dictator , passage=Unlike Ali G Indahouse, Baron Cohen’s failed attempt to bring his most famous character into an entirely fictional universe, Borat found the comic tension in placing his Kazakhstani buffoon in delicate social situations, like a rodeo where he supports the “War Of Terror” a bit too zealously.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Stephen P. Lownie], [http://www.americanscientist.org/authors/detail/david-m-pelz David M. Pelz
  • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= Stents to Prevent Stroke , passage=As we age, the major arteries of our bodies frequently become thickened with plaque, a fatty material with an oatmeal-like consistency that builds up along the inner lining of blood vessels. The reason plaque forms isn’t entirely known, but it seems to be related to high levels of cholesterol inducing an inflammatory response, which can also attract and trap more cellular debris over time.}}
  • To the exclusion of others.
  • Synonyms

    * (to the full extent) completely * (to the exclusion of others)

    mostly

    English

    Alternative forms

    * mostlie (obsolete) * moastly (obsolete)

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Mainly or chiefly; for the most part; usually, generally, on the whole.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=72-3, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= A punch in the gut , passage=Mostly , the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.}}
  • (obsolete) To the greatest extent; most.
  • * 1817 , , Northanger Abbey , [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mDUbXHRIbRIC&dq=northanger+abbey+search+austen&pg=PP1&ots=EDH1Xu36el&sig=J7fVUwXmydAD36S8oLTWv2-ICNk&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA163,M1]:
  • She was to be their chosen visitor, she was to be for weeks under the same roof with the person whose society she mostly prized [...]!

    Synonyms

    * (mainly or chiefly) by and large, in the main, more often than not