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.
The firm caused further panic in February when it announced plans to partially cash out investors in the fund it had tried to restructure by selling $600 million of loans it held.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
Abu Dhabi United Group and Manchester Life were involved in three property developments that were partially financed through the GMCA's loan fund.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Still, Micron and other chip stocks have traded lower recently, partially over concerns related to heightened competition from Chinese rivals.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
These rocks form through interactions between the crust and mantle when portions of the accumulated mantle material partially melt.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
They had moved back into the lean-to to try to get some rest since the mosquitoes partially lessened, but the temporary roof did nothing, absolutely nothing, to slow the water.
From "The River" by Gary Paulsen
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
