halfway

1 of 2

adverb

half·​way ˈhaf-ˈwā How to pronounce halfway (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
Starship’s upper stage, the vehicle where crew and cargo would one day ride, flew halfway around the world for more than an hour while completing major objectives. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025 About halfway down the driveway, a dirt road branches off to the west along the lagoon to the ocean. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Based on author Julia Quinn’s romance series of the same name, the fourth season marks the halfway point of the series overall as each season focuses on the eight Bridgerton siblings’ pursuit of love. Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2025 The journey begins with mild goosebumps but will take a grisly turn at the halfway point, warns Liu. John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for halfway

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of halfway was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Halfway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halfway. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

halfway

adjective
half·​way -ˈwā How to pronounce halfway (audio)
1
: midway between two points
stop at the halfway mark
2
: partial sense 3
halfway measures
halfway adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on halfway

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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