halfway
Americanadverb
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to half the distance; to midpoint.
The rope reaches only halfway.
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almost; nearly; just about.
He halfway surrendered to their demands.
adjective
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midway, as between two places or points.
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going to or covering only half or part of the full extent.
halfway measures.
idioms
adverb
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at or to half the distance; at or to the middle
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in or of an incomplete manner or nature
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to compromise with
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.
Vocabulary lists containing halfway
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.
The woman, a US citizen, journeyed halfway across the globe to reach remote Pitcairn Island after disembarking the cruise ship in Saint Helena, authorities said.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
He also makes no effort whatsoever to sound Russian, sticking to an English accent; Mr. Dano, for his part, does an accent that sounds like it stopped halfway across the Atlantic.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
Macquarie Island sits in one of the most remote parts of the world, halfway between Tasmania and Antarctica.
From Science Daily • May 14, 2026
Laurel Park, located halfway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., has never hosted the Preakness, which will start just after 4 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
About halfway across the river, I glanced down at the water and came close to screaming.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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.
