largely

American  

[lahrj-lee] / ˈlɑrdʒ li /

adverb

1. to a great extent; in great part; generally; chiefly.

   The plan depends largely on his willingness to cooperate. That is largely incorrect.

2. in great quantity; much.

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largely British  

/ ˈlɑːdʒlɪ /

adverb

1. principally; to a great extent

2. on a large scale or in a large manner

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Etymology

Origin of largely

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; large + -ly

Explanation

Use the adverb largely to mean "mostly." You might say that you're largely pleased with the way your favorite baseball team played this season if they won more games than they lost. If a group art project was largely completed at your house, that means you primarily worked on it there, and when a once-popular novelist is largely forgotten, she's generally fallen out of favor with today's readers. Largely is a useful alternative to "mostly," "mainly," or "chiefly," and it comes from the adjective large, in Old French "broad, wide, or generous," from a Latin root, largus, "abundant, plentiful, bountiful, or liberal."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

largely

Booking and Expedia largely sell hotel rooms that travelers can also book directly or through competing sites.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

The few carousel companies that survived the Depression largely did so by switching to a cheaper, mass-produced product, such as transitioning from wood to aluminum.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

More than 6,800 people -- largely minors -- have been taken into police custody, the justice ministry says.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

Was largely ineffective and made some poor decisions.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

Before the fifteenth century, paintings and drawings were largely flat and lifeless.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Related Words

• broadly
• chiefly
• generally
• mostly
• predominantly
• principally
• widely