whole · adjective /həʊl/Full view
Nouns: whole
Adjectives: whole, wholesome
whole
A2 always before noun complete, including every part
Dictionary examples:

I spent the whole day cleaning.

There's still a whole month till my birthday.

After my exercise class, my whole body ached.

The whole town was destroyed by the earthquake.

This whole thing is ridiculous.

Bill does nothing but complain the whole time .

Learner example:

Did you know that almost the whole class came to my party. (Key English Test; A2; Thai)

whole · noun /həʊl/
Nouns: whole
Adjectives: whole, wholesome
the whole of sth
B1 all of something
Dictionary examples:

I'll be on holiday the whole of next week.

His behaviour affects the whole of the class.

The whole of the village had come out for the party.

Learner example:

Moreover, you can see the whole of Hong Kong from the Peak. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Chinese)

on the whole
B1 generally
Dictionary example:

We've had a few problems, but on the whole we're very happy.

Learner example:

On the whole I don't like watching television. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Spanish)

as a whole
B2 when considered as a group and not in parts
Dictionary example:

The population as a whole is getting healthier.

Learner example:

To sum up, I can say that the greatest ever invention is the invention of computers, that has affected both indivi[d]uals and society as a whole. (First Certificate in English; B2; Japanese)

whole · adverb /həʊl/
whole
C2 as a single object and not in pieces
Dictionary example:

The baby bird swallowed the worm whole.

Cambridge logo