partial

adjective

par·tial | \ ˈpär-shəl

Definition of partial

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of or relating to a part rather than the whole : not general or total a partial solution a partial payment

2 : inclined to favor one party more than the other : biased it is inconsistent with justice to be partial— J. S. Mill

3 : markedly fond of someone or something —used with to partial to pizzaShe's partial to tall men with blond hair.

partial

noun

Definition of partial (Entry 2 of 2)

: overtone sense 1a

Other Words from partial Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about partial

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Examples of partial in a Sentence

Adjective

These plants prefer full sun or partial shade. The partial ban on immigration has been lifted. His latest play was deemed only a partial success by the critics. a partial eclipse of the sun He wears a partial denture. She suggested a partial solution to the problem. A referee must not be partial toward either team.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

During a partial eclipse, the Earth, sun, and moon are aligned such that the Earth's shadow lands on part of the moon, but doesn't cover the whole thing. — Jill Kiedaisch, Popular Mechanics, "How a Total Lunar Eclipse Works," 18 Jan. 2019 Truth be told, not many people will see this partial eclipse, thanks to its location: The moon's shadow will mostly fall over the open ocean waters that lie between Australia and Antarctica — the region where the Indian and Pacific oceans merge. — Joe Rao, Space.com, "Friday the 13th Eclipse Visible to Lucky Few," 11 July 2018 On July 13, parts of Australia and Antarctica in the southern Hemisphere will enjoy a partial solar eclipse, with the moon passing between Earth and the sun. — Richard Tribou, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Mars in opposition highlight of July's night sky," 3 July 2018 Although the British rock star has always been partial to the famed Italian brand, this marks his first official campaign with Gucci. — Lilly Milman, Billboard, "Harry Styles' Gucci Campaign Soundtracked by Blac Rabbit Cover of The Beatles' 'Michelle'," 4 June 2018 Women have always been partial to Trudeau, not just for his movie-star looks but also his progressive social policies and his self-description as a feminist. — Alan Freeman, Washington Post, "Canadians’ love affair with Justin Trudeau is over," 29 Mar. 2018 Here is a partial list: Pruitt appeared in an video for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, opposing a clean-water rule put into effect under the Obama Administration. — Glenn Fleishman, Fortune, "How Scott Pruitt Blew It: A List of Scandals That Led to the EPA Chief's Resignation," 5 July 2018 In some cases, Equifax noted that some partial driver's license numbers and limited passport information were stolen, too. — Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, "Credit freezes will be free, thanks to new banking bill and Equifax," 23 May 2018 Plus, the number of returns — 27 million as of Feb. 8 — is down 10 percent from a year ago, due in part to the partial government shutdown. — Sarah Skidmore Sell, The Seattle Times, "I owe how much? Americans shocked by impact of new tax law," 20 Feb. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

We time-stretched the sound of the woodblock and zoomed into the partials and spectra of a single woodblock stroke — just a millisecond of sound — and opened it up and basically unfolded the whole piece from there. — Jon Pareles, New York Times, "Mouse on Mars at M.I.T.: A Symposium Becomes a Dance Party," 12 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'partial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.