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LingakuLingakuことごとく + [verb]
[noun] + は/が + ことごとく + [verb]
ことごとく is an adverb meaning "altogether," "entirely," "without exception," or "every single one." It emphasizes that something applies to all items or cases in a group, leaving nothing out. It carries a literary, somewhat formal tone and is often found in written Japanese, speeches, and dramatic contexts.
ことごとく modifies verbs and typically appears before the verb phrase it describes. It stresses totality – that every member of a set underwent the same action or ended up in the same state.
ことごとく often carries a negative or dramatic nuance, frequently appearing with outcomes like failure, destruction, or rejection. However, it can also be used in positive or neutral contexts when emphasizing completeness.
While ぜんぶ全部 and すべて also mean "all" or "everything," ことごとく is more emphatic and literary. It highlights that each and every individual item without exception shares the same outcome, whereas 全部 and すべて are more neutral and common in everyday speech. ことごとく also functions strictly as an adverb, while 全部 and すべて can function as nouns as well.
ことごとく can also be written with the kanji ことごとく悉く, though the kana spelling is more common in modern Japanese.