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Synonyms

mostly

American  
[mohst-lee] / ˈmoʊst li /

adverb

  1. for the most most much part; in the main.

    The work is mostly done.

  2. chiefly; principally.

  3. generally; customarily.

mostly British  
/ ˈməʊstlɪ /

adverb

  1. almost entirely; chiefly

  2. on many or most occasions; usually

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mostly

First recorded in 1585–95; most + -ly

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.

Caroline and Daniel were both mostly home-schooled, but the difference in their personalities is striking.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

The international flotilla of some 100 boats, mostly setting sail from Barcelona on April 12, will head towards Gaza around April 20, according to the organisers.

From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026

Postal Service, which last year reduced the number of trips to pick up mail at post offices in mostly rural areas.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

As its organizers explained to the Guardian, this is mostly by design.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

They sang mostly the folk songs we had sung together through those long nights tramping through the dark.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

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.