Meaning and usage guide
all together vs altogether
Meaning, usage, and examples
All together means everyone or everything in one place or at the same time. Altogether means completely, in total, or considering everything.
How to choose
Try “everyone together” and “completely”
The substitution that preserves the meaning reveals whether all is a separate word.
As one group: all together
Use two words when all people or things are assembled or act at the same time.
Place the completed forms all together on the desk.
Completely or overall: altogether
Use one word for entirely, in total, or taking everything into account.
The revised design is altogether simpler.
Direct answer
What is the difference?
Use all together when all modifies a group that is together: sing all together. Use altogether when completely, entirely, on the whole, or in total can replace it. The phrase can receive stronger stress on all, while the adverb often flows as a single unit, but ordinary connected speech may not make the word boundary obvious.
Optional listening · American English
Hear every term
Each term has female and male playback at natural speed. Listen without looking, then compare the recordings with the IPA.
Word 1
all together
phrase
Everyone or everything in one place, group, or simultaneous action.
US pronunciation
/ˌɔl təˈɡɛðər/
UK IPA
/ˌɔːl təˈɡeðə/
Hear two natural voices
Word 2
altogether
adverb
Completely, on the whole, or in total.
US pronunciation
/ˌɔltəˈɡɛðər/
UK IPA
/ˌɔːltəˈɡeðə/
Hear two natural voices
Listen in context
6 example sentences
Context makes meaning, grammar, and natural rhythm easier to understand. Every sentence has its own playback.
Examples with
all together
- Let us read the final line all together.
- The photographs are stored all together.
- We rarely have the whole family all together.
Examples with
altogether
- The experience was altogether different from what I expected.
- Altogether, the repairs cost two thousand dollars.
- We are not altogether certain about the cause.