mostly

[mohst-lee]

adverb

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

   The work is mostly done.

2. chiefly; principally.

3. generally; customarily.

mostly

/ ˈməʊstlɪ /

adverb

1. almost entirely; chiefly

2. on many or most occasions; usually

Word History and Origins

Origin of mostly¹

First recorded in 1585–95; most + -ly

Example Sentences

China’s reactors are mostly under 20 years old.

Read more on MarketWatch

“This conversation is part of frankly many generations of conversations about who should have access to the white-collar economy,” said Jeffries, whose organization’s schools serve mostly low-income Black and Hispanic students.

Read more on MarketWatch

Instead, she sets out a weekly menu of mostly nonacademic choices, in 15-20 minute blocks: quality time with a loved one, time spent organizing something at home or teaching someone else a skill.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the factual world, about 100,000 Americans die each year from drug overdoses, mostly by fentanyl, which does not come from Venezuela, Colombia or any South American country, but from China and Mexico.

Read more on Salon

Beijing controls how much crude they can buy through annual quotas that have mostly been used up this year.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• chiefly 
• essentially 
• frequently 
• largely 
• often 
• particularly 
• predominantly www.thesaurus.com
• principally 
• regularly 
• usually