MEANING
Considering a whole system and the relationships among its parts rather than treating each part in isolation.
Use it for
interacting influences; integrated evaluation; system-level explanationConnect the parts while preserving the evidence about each.
Words that belong together
- holistic approach
- holistic assessment
- holistic understanding
On the page
A holistic assessment considers attendance, health, and the conditions of study together.
The new framework is more holistic but requires more data than the school can collect.
A holistic account of the neighborhood links housing, transport, and employment.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- holistic
Usage notes
Primary category: academic. Often approving, but not automatically more accurate or comprehensive. A holistic approach must specify the interactions considered; it need not reject detailed analysis. Gradable: more holistic; most holistic. Derived family (not inflections): holism, holistically.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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