# ことごとく: altogether; entirely; completely ~ > Learn how to use ことごとく, a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar point meaning altogether, entirely, or completely, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons. JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-koto-gotoku/ **ことごとく** means **altogether; entirely; completely ~**. It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar point used to stress that every single member of a group — without exception — is affected by an action or state. This grammar point often appears in formal writing, news reports, and JLPT N1 reading passages. If you want to underline that something happens to *all* items, people, or attempts, **ことごとく** is a powerful choice because it carries more weight than a simple “all” and adds a nuance of thoroughness or relentless sweep. ## What does ことごとく mean? Use **ことごとく** when you want to express that a result or situation applies to every single element in a set, leaving nothing outside. Natural translations include: - altogether; entirely; completely - without exception; every single one - all; every last … The best translation depends on the sentence. Because **ことごとく** is often used in negative or exhaustive contexts, “without exception” or “utterly” often come closest in English. ## How to form ことごとく **ことごとく** is an adverb. It attaches directly to the verb phrase it modifies — typically right before the verb — and it does not change form depending on what comes before it.
ことごとく → Verb / Verb phrase
It can also appear at the very beginning of a clause to emphasize the completeness of the action that follows. In JLPT questions, the wrong answer choices sometimes try to attach **ことごとく** to a noun with a particle (like を), which is ungrammatical — the adverb simply modifies the predicate. ## When is ことごとく used? Use **ことごとく** in situations like: - reporting that every prediction, attempt, or hope failed - describing how all items in a collection behaved identically - emphasizing that nothing escaped a certain outcome Tone and register: - formal to semi-formal; common in written Japanese, speeches, and critical reviews - carries a literary, emphatic flavor — less common in casual chat - Frequently appears in JLPT N1 reading and listening to convey intensity ## ことごとく example sentences
彼(かれ)かれの予想(よそう)よそうはことごとく外(そと)はずれた。
Every single one of his predictions turned out wrong.
negative outcome
ことごとく失敗(しっぱい)しっぱいに終(おわり)おわってしまった。
It all ended in failure — every last attempt.
total failure
その書類(しょるい)しょるいはことごとく却下(きゃっか)きゃっかされた。
The documents were rejected in their entirety.
bureaucratic context
容疑者(ようぎしゃ)ようぎしゃのアリバイはことごとく崩(ほう)くずれた。
The suspect’s alibis all fell apart, one by one.
investigation
チームの戦略(せんりゃく)せんりゃくがことごとく相手(あいて)あいてに読(よみ)よまれていた。
Every one of the team’s strategies had been read by the opponent.
sports/analysis
彼(かれ)かれの提案(ていあん)ていあんはことごとく素(す)晴(はれ)すばらしいものだった。
His proposals were, without exception, excellent.
positive nuance
After reading each sentence, notice how **ことごとく** doesn’t just say “all” — it says “every single one, with nothing left out.” That emotional push makes it stick in memory. ## Nuance of ことごとく The key nuance is **thorough, exceptionless coverage**. The grammar point paints a picture of a situation where not a single element escapes the outcome. This matters because a neutral word like **すべて** just reports the fact. **ことごとく** adds the speaker’s awareness of completeness and often implies a kind of relentless force — bad luck, thorough scrutiny, or total admiration.
💡
ことごとく is at home in critical writing, formal complaints, and dramatic narration. Using it in a light conversation about your weekend plans would sound almost comically grave — save it for moments that deserve emphasis.
## ことごとく vs すべて Both **ことごとく** and **すべて** can mean “all,” but they live in different worlds.
ことごとく
completely, without a single exception; literary, emphatic, often negative
vs
すべて
everything; all; neutral, everyday word
ことごとくすべて
企画(きかく)がことごとく没(ぼつ)になった。 企画(きかく)がすべて没(ぼつ)になった。
The plans were rejected — every single one, relentlessly. All the plans were rejected.
If you only need to state a fact, **すべて** works. If you want to stress the totality and maybe the frustration or awe that comes with it, grab **ことごとく**. ## Common mistakes with ことごとく
❌
全部(ぜんぶ)ことごとく間違え(まちがえ)た。
✅
ことごとく間違え(まちがえ)た。
Stacking 全部(ぜんぶ) and ことごとく creates redundancy — ことごとく already covers the “all” sense. Use one or the other.
❌
二(ふた)つの案(あん)がことごとく通ら(とおら)なかった。
✅
二(ふた)つの案(あん)がどちらも/両方(りょうほう)とも通ら(とおら)なかった。
ことごとく works best when the group feels like a multitude. For just two items, 両方(りょうほう) or どちらも is more natural.
❌
ことごとくを否定(ひてい)する。
✅
すべてを否定(ひてい)する。
ことごとく is an adverb, not a noun. It can’t take を. If you need a direct object, use すべて or 全部(ぜんぶ).
A helpful check: write a sentence with **ことごとく**, then replace it with **すべて**. If the intensity drops too much, you’ve likely found a place where **ことごとく** is perfect. ## Is ことごとく on the JLPT? Yes. **ことごとく** is firmly in the **JLPT N1** grammar pool.
N1

Frequency: Moderate — appears in reading comprehension and sometimes in listening where strong opinion is expressed.

What to expect: Questions often test whether you can recognize the exhaustive nuance and distinguish it from neutral “all” words like すべて or 全部(ぜんぶ). In sentence reordering, it will hang before the verb.

🔍 recognize in text 🧠 grasp the thoroughness ✍️ produce accurate simple examples
For test day, practice reading sentences where **ことごとく** sets a serious, emphatic tone, because the exam often uses it in passages about failure, criticism, or total success. ## Practice questions for ことごとく
1
Write about a day when every plan you had went wrong — use ことごとく to describe what happened.
narrative
2
Imagine a reviewer who hated a movie completely. Make a sentence with ことごとく to show the critic’s stance.
opinion
3
Compare ことごとく and すべて by writing the same fact twice and explaining how the tone changes.
comparison
4
Read a news headline and think: would ことごとく fit here? If yes, rewrite the headline using it.
media literacy
Keep early examples small — maybe just two or three elements in a set — then expand to larger groups once the adverb’s emotional weight feels natural. ## Learning path for ことごとく
1
Master the meaning without notes. Be able to say aloud: “ことごとく means every single one, without exception — it’s emphatic and often negative.”
2
Contrast with すべて and 全部(ぜんぶ). Write three factually identical sentences, swapping the word. Underline how the speaker’s feeling shifts.
3
Drill N1 reading passages. When you spot ことごとく, pause and guess why the writer chose it. Then check the English translation for that extra emphasis.
4
Produce original sentences under time pressure. Give yourself 30 seconds to write a sentence that uses ことごとく with a negative outcome. The time pressure mimics the exam and makes the pattern automatic.
5
Weave it into a short paragraph. Link ことごとく with related patterns (like ことこの上(うえ)ない for ultimate intensity) to show you can combine advanced tools smoothly.
## Related grammar to review next - [ことこの上(うえ)ない](/blog/n1-koto-kono-ue-nai-kono-ue-nai-kono-ue-naku/) — because it also intensifies a statement to its absolute peak - [こともあって](/blog/n1-koto-mo-atte/) — because it explains a situation by piling on reasons, often in formal contexts - [ことなしに](/blog/n1-koto-nashi-ni/) — because it, too, deals with the idea of “without doing X,” which contrasts with ことごとく's “with nothing left out” - [ことのないように](/blog/n1-koto-no-nai-you-ni/) — because it sets a precautionary state (so that nothing happens), a mirror image of ことごとく’s totality ## Learn ことごとく with Hane If you want to review **ことごとく** together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions — drilling the nuance until the weight of “without exception” feels second nature. Browse more lessons here: - [All grammar lessons](/blog/) - [JLPT N1 grammar lessons](/blog/n1/)