holistically

American  

[hoh-lis-tik-lee] / hoʊˈlɪs tɪk li /

adverb

1. involving or emphasizing the whole, as with a theory or practice.

   Please note that test scores are just one element of your application, and the program views each student holistically in making a determination of admission.

2. Medicine/Medical. following a therapeutic system that considers the individual as a whole, especially one that integrates physical and mental health and sometimes also social well-being.

   In this practice, we try to tailor foods, diets, and treatments to prevent disease and improve health holistically.

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Etymology

Origin of holistically

hol(ism) ( def. ) + -istic ( def. ) + -ally ( def. )

Example Sentences

“You can’t just add in your own stuff and hope for it to be holistically robust,” Bradley said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 25, 2026

Commodities are “part of the macro conversation, but holistically it’s not one hot price print that matters — it’s whether higher input costs translate into stickier prices, higher wages and firmer inflation expectations,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 15, 2026

“Why,” Sotto reflected to me in 2023, “are we not thinking more holistically as to what we’re putting inside the guest as to what we’re putting in front of the guest?”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

The Belgian impresses when looking at the data, but it is important to assess his strengths and weaknesses holistically.

From BBC • Sep. 2, 2025

If we were serious about bringing in minority lawyers, I asserted, we’d have to look more holistically at candidates.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama