Meaning and Usage
ことごとく is an adverb used to emphasize that something applies to all cases without exception. It often carries a nuance of thoroughness or completeness, sometimes with a negative connotation such as failure or rejection.
Common Contexts
You will frequently see ことごとく used in formal or written Japanese to describe situations where every single item, proposal, or attempt is affected. It is often paired with verbs like 却下される (to be rejected), 失敗する (to fail), or 難しい (to be difficult).
Collocations and Patterns
- ことごとく却下される: all are rejected, emphasizing total refusal
- ことごとく失敗する: to fail completely
- ことごとく難しい: all are difficult
Register and Nuance
ことごとく is more formal and literary than everyday words like ぜんぶ or みんな. It is suitable for written reports, news, or formal speech. Using it in casual conversation might sound stiff or overly dramatic.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse ことごとく with すべて or ぜんぶ, which also mean "all". However, ことごとく emphasizes the thoroughness or completeness of the action, often with a negative or emphatic tone. Avoid using it for neutral or positive contexts without that nuance.