Dictionary

overall en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˌoʊ.vɚˈɔl/ (US)
• /ˌoʊ.vɚˈɒl/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
• /ˌoʊ.vɚˈɑl/ (cot-caught-merger, dialectal) of Canada
• /ˌəʊ.vəˈɹɔːl/ (UK)

Etymology

From Middle English overall, overal, from Old English ofer eall, ofer ealle (“over all”), equivalent to over + all. Compare Saterland Frisian oural, uural (“everywhere”), West Frisian oeral (“everywhere”), Dutch overal (“everywhere”), German Low German overall, överall (“everywhere; all over”), German überall (“all over; everywhere”), Danish overalt (“everywhere”), Swedish överallt (“everywhere; overall”).

Meanings

1. All-encompassing, all around.
   • We believe also that a controlled economy cannot be understood without some overall view of the controlling institutions: hence our short studies — shorter by far than the original drafts — of the central administration. 1949, W. Keith Hancock, Margaret M. Gowing, British War Economy:
   • "The cranium is clearly plesiomorphic in overall form, presenting primitive traits shared by earlier hominins," the authors wrote. 2025 September 27, Julia Jacobo, “Million-year-old skull could rewrite timeline of human origin, researchers say”, in ABC News, archived from the original on 14 Feb 2026:

Forms

Deriveds

overally

Synonyms

whole · thorough · big · entire · total · exhaustive

Translations (35)

cmn 綜合的 /综合的 (all-encompassing) · it complessivo (all-encompassing) · ru всео́бщий (all-encompassing) · ru по́лный (all-encompassing) · fr total (all-encompassing) · oc complet (all-encompassing) · hu átfogó (all-encompassing) · nb helhetlig (all-encompassing) · es en conjunto (all-encompassing) · ru о́бщий (all-encompassing) · uk по́вний (all-encompassing) · it globale (all-encompassing) · pt geral (all-encompassing) · pt abrangente (all-encompassing) · ml മൊത്തത്തിലുള്ള (all-encompassing) · de Gesamt- (all-encompassing) · fr global (all-encompassing) · cmn 全面的 (all-encompassing) · oc general (all-encompassing) · bg всеобхватен (all-encompassing) · sv övergripande (all-encompassing) · ru всеобъе́млющий (all-encompassing) · nl globaal (all-encompassing) · cs celkový (all-encompassing) · uk зага́льний (all-encompassing) · oc total (all-encompassing) · bg общ (all-encompassing) · fi kokonais- (all-encompassing) · it generale (all-encompassing) · uk всеося́жний (all-encompassing) · hu össz- (all-encompassing) · oc global (all-encompassing) · hu teljes (all-encompassing) · fi kokonaisvaltainen (all-encompassing) · fi kaikenkattava (all-encompassing)

overall en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˌoʊ.vɚˈɔl/ (US)
• /ˌoʊ.vɚˈɒl/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
• /ˌoʊ.vɚˈɑl/ (cot-caught-merger, dialectal) of Canada
• /ˌəʊ.vəˈɹɔːl/ (UK)

Etymology

From Middle English overall, overal, from Old English ofer eall, ofer ealle (“over all”), equivalent to over + all. Compare Saterland Frisian oural, uural (“everywhere”), West Frisian oeral (“everywhere”), Dutch overal (“everywhere”), German Low German overall, överall (“everywhere; all over”), German überall (“all over; everywhere”), Danish overalt (“everywhere”), Swedish överallt (“everywhere; overall”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Generally; in general.
   • While this new measure provided money for research, it also purported to cut spending overall.
   • Overall, there is not enough evidence to form a clear conclusion.
2. (not-comparable) Considering or taking into account everything.
   • The frozen foods side of the business overall saw a loss.

Deriveds

length overall

Synonyms

all things considered

Translations (42)

bg изобщо (generally) · es a fin de cuentas (generally) · fr en général (generally) · az ümumiyyətcə (generally) · is í aðalatriðum (generally) · ia supertoto (generally) · fi kaiken kaikkiaan (generally) · fi ylipäänsä (generally) · it nell'insieme (generally) · tl sa kabuoan (generally) · it in generale (generally) · it complessivamente (generally) · sv på det hela taget (generally) · nl over het algemeen (generally) · de insgesamt (generally) · ru по́лностью (generally) · ml മൊത്തത്തിൽ (generally) · es omnímodamente (generally) · la per totum (generally) · cmn 總地來說 /总地来说 (generally) · pt em geral (generally) · uk в ціло́му (generally) · gl en xeral (generally) · ga tríd is tríd (generally) · az ümumiliklə (generally) · es en conjunto (generally) · ru в о́бщем и це́лом (generally) · it tutto sommato (generally) · tl sa pangkalahatan (generally) · es todo sumado (generally) · hu összesen (generally) · de alles zusammengenommen (generally) · ru в це́лом (generally) · fr globalement (generally) · cmn 大體上 /大体上 (generally) · cmn 大致 (generally) · es al fin y al cabo (generally) · az ümumən (generally) · az ümumiyyətlə (generally) · uk загало́м (generally) · az ümumilikdə (generally) · es resumidamente (generally)

overall en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈəʊ.və.ɹɔːl/ (UK)
• /ˈoʊ.vɚ.ɑl/ (cot-caught-merger, dialectal) of Canada
• /ˈoʊ.vɚ.ɔl/ (US)
• (UK) audio
• /ˈoʊ.vɚ.ɒl/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US

Etymology

From Middle English overall, overal, from Old English ofer eall, ofer ealle (“over all”), equivalent to over + all. Compare Saterland Frisian oural, uural (“everywhere”), West Frisian oeral (“everywhere”), Dutch overal (“everywhere”), German Low German overall, överall (“everywhere; all over”), German überall (“all over; everywhere”), Danish overalt (“everywhere”), Swedish överallt (“everywhere; overall”).

Meanings

1. (UK) A garment worn over other clothing to protect it; a coverall or boiler suit. A garment, for manual labor or for casual wear, often made of a single piece of fabric, with long legs and a bib upper, supported from the shoulders with straps, and having several large pockets and loops for carrying tools.
2. (US, in-plural) A garment, worn for manual labor, with an integral covering extending to the chest, supported by straps.

Forms

Deriveds

overalled

Synonyms

overslop · slop

Translations (38)

es overol (protective garment worn over clothing) · fi haalarit (protective garment worn over clothing) · ru комбинезо́н (protective garment worn over clothing) · cmn 吊帶褲 /吊带裤 (protective garment worn over clothing) · vi quần yếm (protective garment worn over clothing) · pl kombinezon (protective garment worn over clothing) · ko 멜빵바지 (protective garment worn over clothing) · bg прести́лка (protective garment worn over clothing) · eo supertuto (protective garment worn over clothing) · pt macacão (protective garment worn over clothing) · ko 오버올 (protective garment worn over clothing) · sw surupwenye (protective garment worn over clothing) · es sobretodo (protective garment worn over clothing) · es mono (protective garment worn over clothing) · cmn 吊帶工裝褲 /吊带工装裤 (protective garment worn over clothing) · es overalls (protective garment worn over clothing) · nb overall (protective garment worn over clothing) · fr combinaison (protective garment worn over clothing) · pt fato de macaco (protective garment worn over clothing) · cmn 工裝褲 /工装裤 (protective garment worn over clothing) · de Overall (protective garment worn over clothing) · nl overall (protective garment worn over clothing) · nb snekkerbukse (protective garment worn over clothing) · fr salopette (protective garment worn over clothing) · pt jardineira (protective garment worn over clothing) · mn халаад (protective garment worn over clothing) · fr blouse (protective garment worn over clothing) · it blusa (protective garment worn over clothing) · uk комбінезо́н (protective garment worn over clothing) · sv overall (protective garment worn over clothing) · de Latzhose (protective garment worn over clothing) · es braga (protective garment worn over clothing) · ja オーバーオール (protective garment worn over clothing) · it tuta da lavoro (protective garment worn over clothing) · bg рабо́тен комбинезо́н (protective garment worn over clothing) · pt fato-macaco (protective garment worn over clothing) · pt jardineiras (protective garment worn over clothing) · uk спецо́дяг (protective garment worn over clothing)