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

And Winnie-the-Pooh continues to sit, in a thoughtful sort of way, which is what very old bears in very nice glass cases mostly do. — Steve Hendrix The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026

When Retrospect launched in 2024, fragrance might have seemed like an unexpected move for a label known mostly for minimalist makeup, but the soft, quietly complex scent quickly became a hit. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026

This latest Ebola outbreak is the second deadliest in history after the 2014-16 epidemic which killed more than 11,300 people, mostly in West Africa. — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Just upstream of the closed race track, a mobile home park was mostly full. — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 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