partly
Americanadverb
adverb
Usage
Partly and partially are to some extent interchangeable, but partly should be used when referring to a part or parts of something: the building is partly (not partially ) of stone, while partially is preferred for the meaning to some extent: his mother is partially (not partly ) sighted
Etymology
Origin of partly
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.
Lisa Harris, co-founder of food consultancy Harris & Hayes, says growing interest in sweetcorn is also partly down to the UK's "unstoppable" appetite for South Korean food, which is "changing how we eat".
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
That partly reflects a leverage position of 0.9x, below a target of 1.0-2.0x.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Dollywood, a 165-acre theme park located in Tennessee that is partly owned by the singer’s production arm, Dolly Parton Productions, has also seen a boost in interest in the days following her death.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
The effect of people on an animal depended partly on how much the surrounding landscape had already been modified, and the influence of landscape modification depended partly on how many people were present.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026
“For not telling you that I was tempering. I know what happened last year was partly my fault.”
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
