quite

adverb

ˈkwīt How to pronounce quite (audio)
Synonyms of quite
1
: wholly, completely
not quite finished
2
: to an extreme : positively
quite sure
—often used as an intensifier with a
quite a swell guy
quite a beauty
3
: to a considerable extent : rather
quite near
see also:
quite a bit quite a few

Synonyms of quite

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Examples of quite in a Sentence

He felt that the world he had loved had quite gone. —Edmund Wilson, New York Times Book Review, 20 July 1986
The men who made love to the left-wing college girls were either medical students, who had contempt for them and forgot them, or jocks, who bragged falsely of having made conquests of quite other girls. —Renata Adler, Pitch Dark, 1983
In my opinion, my work … ain't quite good enough … —William Faulkner, in Faulkner in the University, (1959) 1977
Irene Franey, a little older than I, was quite a beauty —John O'Hara, letter, 30 Dec. 1963
“Are you quite finished?” “Not quite.” I am quite capable of doing it myself, thank you. They assured me that I was quite mistaken. We hadn't quite made up our minds. She's quite right, you know. I quite forgot your birthday. No one realized quite what was happening. Quite why he left is unclear. That is not quite what I said.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Amenities and experiences The center of the property, quite literally, is the pool. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026 That churning could explain why classic models, which assume that the ISM is in a tranquil equilibrium, don’t quite seem to match reality. — Perri Thaler, Quanta Magazine, 30 Oct. 2026 Derek vs Derek started life as a doc about rewilding, but became something quite different when EP Adam Wishart realized one of its protagonists had a rival stationed on the farm opposite him. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026 Anthony said the percentages aren’t quite that skewed, but more ticket packages were sold to Villanova fans. — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quite

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from quite, adjective, quit

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quite was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing quite

Rhymes for quite

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Browse Nearby Words

quitclaim deed
quite
quite a bit
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Cite this Entry

“Quite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quite. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

quite

adverb
ˈkwīt How to pronounce quite (audio)
1
: beyond question or doubt : completely
quite alone
quite sure
2
: more or less sense 1, rather
we live quite near the school

More from Merriam-Webster on quite

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