Definition

Adverb A summarizing phrase used to give a final, overall judgment or conclusion after considering all the facts, aspects, or details of a situation. It means "when everything is taken into account" or "on the whole."

Usage

Use "all in all" to introduce a general statement that sums up a situation. It is typically placed at the beginning or the end of a sentence.

Examples

• All in all, it was a successful event despite the minor delays.
• The vacation had some rainy days, but all in all, we had a wonderful time.
• She concluded that, all in all, the benefits of the new policy outweighed the drawbacks.

Advanced Usage

• As a Concluding Transition: It is commonly used in writing and speaking to signal a final, balanced assessment.
  • We faced many challenges during the project. All in all, however, I am proud of what our team accomplished.

Variants and Related Words

• All things considered (phrase): A near-identical synonym, also used for giving a final opinion after thinking about all parts of a situation.
  • All things considered, I think we made the right choice.

Synonyms

• Altogether
• On the whole
• By and large
• All things considered
• In the final analysis

Related Phrases

• In summary / To sum up: These phrases are used to introduce a concise statement of main points, while "all in all" introduces a final evaluative judgment.
• When all is said and done: An idiomatic phrase with a very similar meaning to "all in all," emphasizing the final outcome after everything has happened.
  • When all is said and done, honesty is the most important policy.

Adverb

1. with everything considered (and neglecting details)
   • altogether, I'm sorry it happened
   • all in all, it's not so bad