all over

all over — idiom

1. in or to every part of a place, area, or surface.

1.idiomA2
Definition

in or to every part of a place, area, or surface.

Example

There were dirty dishes all over the kitchen after the dinner party.

all over + [location noun phrase]

Kwame has travelled all over Asia for his photography projects.

travel all over + [region]

Common collocations
  • all over the world
  • all over the place
  • all over + [region]
  • all over + [surface/object]
  • scattered all over
  • spread all over
Synonyms
Antonyms

Usage Note

Followed directly by a noun phrase describing the place or surface. Can also be used alone as an adverb meaning 'everywhere here': 'I've looked all over.'

Common Mistakes

There are books all over.' (when you mean scattered messily)
There are books all over the floor.
the meaning is clearer with a specific location; 'all over' alone means 'in every possible place' (e.g., 'I searched all over').

2. completely finished; with nothing left to happen or do.

2.idiomB1
Definition

completely finished; with nothing left to happen or do.

Example

The match was all over before the fans had even settled into their seats.

predicative position after be

By the time Élise got to the hall, the concert was already all over.

be + already + all over

Common collocations
  • be all over
  • declare it all over
  • all over by + time
Synonyms
  • finished

    neutral, can be used in more contexts

  • over

    shorter form, same meaning

  • done

    informal, very common in speech

  • at an end

    slightly more formal

Antonyms

Usage Note

Always used predicatively — after the verb 'be' or after verbs like 'declare', 'call'. Never placed before a noun.

Common Mistakes

The all over game was boring.
The game was all over by half-time.
'all over' cannot go before a noun; it must follow the verb.

Synonym discussion

Sense: idiom/1

All of these words and phrases describe covering a space or area, but they differ in focus. 'Everywhere' is the most general and neutral, working in almost any context ('I looked everywhere for my keys'). 'All around' adds a sense of surrounding or encircling ('The hills all around the valley were green'), which 'all over' does not carry. 'Throughout' is more formal and often implies penetration of every part of something, especially an organisation or structure ('The policy was applied throughout the company'). 'All through' is similar to 'all over' but slightly more literary ('The news spread all through the village'). For everyday speech, 'all over' is the most vivid choice when describing physical coverage: 'There was ketchup all over his shirt' sounds more natural than 'There was ketchup everywhere on his shirt.'

everywhere ↗all around ↗throughout ↗all through

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The phrase 'all over' combines Old English 'eall' (all, every) + 'ofer' (above, beyond). It has been used since at least the 13th century to mean 'everywhere' (sense 1). The sense 'completely finished' (sense 2) developed later, in the 17th–18th centuries, from the idea that something is 'over' (finished) 'in all respects'. The two meanings are historically related but now function as distinct fixed expressions.