halfway

1 of 2

adverb

half·​way ˈhaf-ˈwā 

ˈhäf-

: midway between two points

At length the cat steps halfway out the door, showing his spotted brown coat and the stripes on his legs.

—Paul Comstock

halfway

2 of 2

adjective

1

: midway between two points

at the halfway point/mark

2

: partial

a halfway solution

Synonyms

Adjective

• incomplete
• half
• partial
• deficient

Examples of halfway in a Sentence

Adjective

She was leading at the halfway mark of the race.

We're halfway toward completing the project.

They're only offering halfway measures, not a real solution.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

But Ashe is already halfway up the court, pouncing on the short ball and punching the volley away with ease to clinch the Wimbledon title. —Matias Grez, CNN Money, 5 July 2025

Raleigh chalked up those developments to his maturing a little more than halfway into his fourth full major-league season. —Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2025

Adjective

As 2025 hits the halfway point, here are five takeaways from a year that’s already been filled with blockbusters and busts. —Brent Lang, Variety, 8 July 2025

At the halfway point of 2025, the latest in a popular franchise sits at the top of this year’s list of the best-selling fiction books. —Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English half wey, from half half entry 2 + wey way entry 1

Adjective

derivative of halfway entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing halfway

• halfway around/across the world
• halfway decent
• halfway house
• halfway through
• meet halfway

Rhymes for halfway

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

halfway

adjective

half·​way -ˈwā 

1

: midway between two points

stop at the halfway mark

2

: partial sense 3

halfway measures

halfway adverb