halfway

American  

[haf-wey, hahf-] / ˈhæfˈweɪ, ˈhɑf- /

adverb

1. to half the distance; to midpoint.

   The rope reaches only halfway.

2. almost; nearly; just about.

   He halfway surrendered to their demands.

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adjective

1. midway, as between two places or points.

2. going to or covering only half or part of the full extent.

   halfway measures.

idioms

1. meet halfway, to compromise with; give in partially to.

   They didn't comply with all our demands, but met us halfway on the more important points.

halfway British  

/ ˌhɑːfˈweɪ /

adverb

1. at or to half the distance; at or to the middle

2. in or of an incomplete manner or nature

3. to compromise with

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halfway More Idioms  

1. see go halfway.

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Etymology

Origin of halfway

First recorded in 1350–1400, halfway is from Middle English half wei. See half, way ¹

Explanation

When you're halfway, you're at the middle point of something. If you pause to catch your breath halfway up a hill, you still have half the hill left to climb. You can make it halfway along a marathon route, or 13 miles, and you can also make it halfway through your book before you fall asleep. You might only make it halfway through an enormous slice of cake, or halfway through math class before you start to nod off. A halfway house, originally an inn between two cities, but today it's a place where released criminals or recovered addicts can live while they get back on their feet.

Example Sentences

Thiero joined the Lakers’ bench about halfway through the first quarter, wearing a black hoodie and sweatpants.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026

By Sunday morning, Bavi was forecast to pass nearest to Rota, a small island roughly halfway between Guam and Saipan, the Northern Marianas' main island and home to around 1,500 people.

From Barron's • Jul. 5, 2026

We were on the counter-attack, he took off on the halfway line, shrugged off Luke Shaw then Diogo, who was mainly right-footed, dragged it onto his left foot and smashed it into the near post.

From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026

“If I have leftover olives from making a bunch of martinis, I can crack open a can of tuna and some tomato paste and I’m halfway to a puttanesca. Very happy about that,” he says.

From Salon • Jul. 2, 2026

After walking for hours and hours, she reaches the city of Malolos, a little more than halfway through her forty-mile journey to Calumpit.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly