mostly

adverb

most·​ly ˈmōst-lē 

: for the greatest part : mainly

a mostly accurate story

Synonyms of mostly

• mainly
• primarily
• chiefly
• largely
• predominantly
• principally
• basically
• generally

Examples of mostly in a Sentence

the weather this month has been mostly mild

Recent Examples on the Web

That friendship is captured similarly onscreen, despite the fact that the series is mostly fictional. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 24 Aug. 2026

Others have remained mostly stable or even increased, however. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 24 Aug. 2026

The hiring manager, meanwhile, should spend their interview time focused mostly on interpersonal and leadership capabilities. — Harvard Business Review, 24 Aug. 2026

Economists question whether the credit would attract new work or mostly subsidize projects that would have stayed in California anyway. — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mostly

• ghostly

Kids Definition

mostly

adverb

most·​ly ˈmōst-lē 

: for the greatest part : mainly