adverb/adjective · neutral

overall

UK/ˌəʊvərˈɔːl/US/ˌoʊvərˈɔːl/o·VER·all

Band 5-6task2task1speaking

considering everything or in general

Examples

Overall, the new policy has been successful despite some initial problems.

The overall cost of the project exceeded estimates.

Overall, I think students prefer interactive classes.

Band 8 sentence

Overall, the data suggest that while technology improves access to education, it also widens certain achievement gaps.

Collocations

  • overall effect
  • overall picture
  • overall cost

Word family

overall noun (rare)

Common mistakes

all overoverall

the overalloverall

Say it for a higher band

5in general6generally7+overall

Synonyms

in general

generally

Easily confused

generally

Overall, the experiment was successful, but generally the participants enjoyed it.

all over

The paint spilled all over the floor, which is unrelated to the overall findings.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In Sublist 9

Learn it with its set