Altogether versus All Together

What is the Difference Between Altogether and All Together?

When to Use Altogether

Altogether is an adverb. It means taken as a whole, in such a way as to be synonymous with completely, totally, wholly.

When to Use All Together

All together is a phrase that means in the same place or at the same time as a complete group. It is never used as a phrasal adverb.

Summary

Is it altogether or all together? While these two words sound the same when spoken, they actually have subtle differences in their meanings.

Altogether is an adverb, which is a synonym of its fellow adverbs completely and outright. It means taken as a whole.

All together, meanwhile, is a phrase that refers to an entire group, such as a table of friends who are sitting in a diner, or everyone in a crowd.

Altogether is only used as an adverb, while all together is never used as an adverb but, instead, is used in all senses other than an adverb.