How to say "overall" in Japanese

• 全体的ぜんたいてきCommon
  na-adjectiveCovers 'overall' meaning 'as a whole' — the general impression, picture, or situation taken broadly rather than detail by detail. The natural choice for 'the overall impression was positive'.
  彼かれの論文ろんぶんは全体的ぜんたいてきにみて満足まんぞくのいくものでした。↗

  His paper was, on the whole, satisfactory.
• 総そうJLPT N1approx.Common
  prefixReally a prefix element meaning 'whole, total, gross, entire', as in gross or grand totals; matched to 'overall' only through that total/entire sense. Seldom the standalone word you want for 'overall' in a sentence.
  総そう入れ歯いればにする必要ひつようがあります。↗

  You have to have a full denture.
• 総合的そうごうてきCommon
  na-adjectiveHandles 'overall' when it means 'comprehensive': a judgment, evaluation, or view that draws all the separate factors together into one assessment. Fits 'an overall evaluation of the plan' or 'overall judgment'.
  彼かれも大人おとなになって、物事ものごとを総合的そうごうてきな視野しやで見みられるようになった。↗

  As he grew up, he learned to put things in perspective.
• トータルCommon
  na-adjectiveThe loanword from English 'total'; use for the 'all-inclusive, everything taken together' sense, or adverbially for 'on the whole, all things considered' when summing up.

For 'overall' meaning 'as a whole' use 全体的; for comprehensive judgments drawing everything together use 総合的; for all-inclusive or 'on the whole' sums use 「トータル」; 総 is mainly a prefix for total/gross amounts.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 全体的ぜんたいてきoverall
• 総そうwhole
• 総合的そうごうてきcomprehensive
• オーバーオールoverall
• サロペットoverall
• 全体としてぜんたいとしてoverall
• 総体的そうたいてきoverall
• 全般にぜんぱんにin general
• 全般的ぜんぱんてきgeneral
• 全般的にぜんぱんてきにgenerally
• 総括的そうかつてきall-inclusive
• トータルcomprehensive