by half

Idioms

Considerably, a great deal, as in He was too good a cook by half for this small restaurant. [c. a.d. 1000] Contrast by halves.

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.

Corrections & Amplifications: BlackRock’s estimate that a small amount of private assets would boost retirement plan returns by half a percentage point a year comes from its internal modeling.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

The number of people living in relative poverty in the UK rose by half a million in the year up to March 2025, new government figures have shown.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

The critical conference game will decide the head-to-head tiebreaker between the teams that are separated by half a game in the standings.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

The day after Good was shot in January, Bovino walked toward a Target store in Richfield, Minn., flanked by half a dozen federal agents.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

Mrs. Clarke had the heartbreaking task of writing a full inventory of the damage; by half past nine in the morning, her hand was already starting to cramp.

From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023