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 of halfway

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

For Nora Aunor night, the dress was zipped only halfway up my mother’s back. —Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026

When the yarn is dry, twist the pieces together in the middle and glue them to the front of the egg, about halfway down. —Annabelle Canela, Parents, 14 Mar. 2026

Adjective

Around the halfway point, though, the situation began to change. —Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 10 Mar. 2026

Biro’s sending off came after battling for the ball with Charlotte FC striker Idan Toklomati on the halfway line. —David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 7 Mar. 2026

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