partially
Americanadverb
-
to some degree or in some way or aspect, but not fully or totally; incompletely.
Season three of the sci-fi series would have taken place either partially or completely on Mars.
-
in a way that is biased or prejudiced in favor of one group, side, person, etc., over another.
He did not judge partially, he said, but claimed to mete out justice equally to rich and poor alike.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of partially
Explanation
Partially means part way, not complete. If you’ve partially completed a test when the bell rings, you better work faster to finish up next time! A part is a portion of something, not the whole thing. Similarly, the word partially refers to a part of something only. A partially brick house is not all brick. Anything that is partially true is only true to some degree, like if you tell someone you’re in a band, but really you just carry the guitars. This word means about the same as partly, and the opposite word would be wholly or entirely.
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.
"Partially because we are so under-represented in alternative music," she says.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
Partially automated, it requires little manual labour, allows for crops to be precisely controlled and ensures good yields.
From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026
Partially in response to the settlement some brokerages have pushed to keep more listings in-house to ensure agents get paid.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 12, 2025
To Betts’ point: Partially dislocated shoulder or not, Ohtani terrified Schmidt into walking him on four pitches to start the game.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 29, 2024
Partially because they were stuck, and partially because Candice came down with a huge case of indigestion.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
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.
