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

For a week, the grain rides atmospheric currents halfway around the globe, reflecting sparkles of sunlight back to space along its journey. —Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025

Fill the blender jar up halfway with hot water combined with 3/4 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda. —Lauren David, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025

Adjective

Only two of Swift’s albums appear below the halfway mark on the 200-spot ranking. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

As Phoenix passes the halfway mark of this year’s monsoon, dramatic downpours, gusty haboobs and streaks of lightning across the sky have been mostly absent. —Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 13 Aug. 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