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.
Medicare Part B, which covers physician and outpatient hospital services, and Part D, which covers prescription drugs, are partly financed by premiums and include further cost-sharing.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
Local EV-maker VinFast has since seen a surge in sales, and some analysts speculate the ban may have been designed partly to help it.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
AVA Toluca Hills Apartments ranked third, though its placement on the list is partly due to the sheer number of rentals.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
The department said that while numbers have risen, the higher overall prevalence rate is also partly due to a decline in the total number of schoolchildren.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
The secrecy was partly because Louis Lépine was sure he was about to find the Mona Lisa.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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.
