partly
Americanadverb
adverb
Usage
Partly and partially are to some extent interchangeable, but partly should be used when referring to a part or parts of something: the building is partly (not partially ) of stone, while partially is preferred for the meaning to some extent: his mother is partially (not partly ) sighted
Etymology
Origin of partly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This financial paradox — practices remaining largely untouched by the new rules — stems partly from a cycle of fear and anxiety around maximising eyeballs and price, and from habits that are hard to change.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
Local EV-maker VinFast has since seen a surge in sales, and some analysts speculate the ban may have been designed partly to help it.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
AVA Toluca Hills Apartments ranked third, though its placement on the list is partly due to the sheer number of rentals.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
That's partly because of the state pension, which now pays out vastly more than it did in previous generations, when measured as a proportion of median earnings.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
Father says this is partly our own fault, and he may be right.
From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
