Altogether or All Together?

by Craig Shrives

What Is the Difference between "Altogether" and "All together"?

"Altogether" and "all together" are easy to confuse because they sound identical and their meanings are similar.
  • "Altogether" means wholly or with everything considered. For example:
    • The pens are 5 Euros. The paper is 3 Euros. That is 8 Euros altogether.
  • "All together" means "collectively." For example:
    • You must stand all together in the stadium.
      • (Note that the words "all" and "together" can have other words between. "You must all stand together in the stadium." )

    More about "Altogether" and "All Together"

    The confusion over "altogether" and "all together" is understandable because the terms are close in meaning.

    Altogether

    The adverb "altogether" means wholly, to the full extent, or with everything considered.

    Examples of "altogether" in sentences:
    • I left him altogether convinced that the project will end on time.
    • Altogether, Mark earns more than his cousin.

    All Together

    The term "all together" describes when a group acts or is acted upon collectively. (Of note, there can be other words between "all" and "together.")

    Examples of "all together" in sentences:
    • I want you to sing all together.
      • (I want you all to sing together.)
    • The soldiers stood all together waiting for the plane.
      • (The soldiers all stood together waiting for the plane.)
    • I would like to see you all together.
      • (I would like to see all of you together.)
    altogether or all together difference

    Top Tip

    If you can restructure your sentence to put word(s) between "all" and "together," then you need "all together" not "altogether."

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    See Also

    adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? How to write "dos and don'ts" who's or whose? What are adverbs? List of easily confused words

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