half 1 of 3

noun

ˈhaf How to pronounce half (audio)
Definition of halfnext
1
as in part
one of two equal or nearly equal parts to be fair, we should each get half the pie

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2
as in match
either of a pair matched in one or more qualities it's the bottom half of the ninth inning, and the Yankees are up at bat

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half

2 of 3

adjective

as in incomplete
lacking some necessary part half measures that did nothing but prolong the problem

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half

3 of 3

adverb

1
as in ever
in any way or respect this cut on your arm isn't half as bad as it looks

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2
as in halfway
in some measure or degree what you said is only half true

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of half
Noun
Canadian researchers curtained off two halves of a lake during the late 1960s and doused each with different fertilizers. — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 Wednesday, 17-year-old Ahmir Jordan was fatally shot in the head at Hakim’s in East New York about a mile-and-a-half from where Singh was killed. — Barry Paddock, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026
Adjective
There is also a flat, half-mile trail compliant with the American with Disabilities Act standard and feeds into the Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail. — Stephanie Lam, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 Up to a half-dozen incumbents from both parties are in political peril. — Josh Feldman, NBC news, 20 Aug. 2026
Adverb
County officials say the Development Authority of Fulton County has approved about $150 million in data center tax breaks since 2020, with roughly half tied to a Microsoft project. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Standing in his boudoir the size of a one-bedroom apartment, Roth often looks half like Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games and half like a housewife in a Douglas Sirk film. — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for half
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half
  1. part
  2. match
  3. incomplete
  4. ever
  5. halfway
  6. section
  7. equivalent
  8. partial
Noun
  • There’s a keen juxtaposition of the old and the modern throughout this part of Edinburgh, where buildings made of ancient volcanic sandstone accommodate hip boutiques like record store Underground Solu'shn and coffee shops like The Milkman.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Joe, for his part, ignores Nathan’s call before the guests arrive.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of part
Noun
  • On Monday, Williams looked to be moving well in a first set that was understandably sluggish considering her lack of recent matches.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • There will be live music, entertainment and even wrestling matches from Deep South Wrestling.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of match
Adjective
  • Holding an incomplete vote, or one that feeds into any narrative of the winner being illegitimate, would be a tremendous gift to Moscow.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • On the eve of the new season, Iraola’s squad remains incomplete, particularly in attacking areas.
    — Andy Jones, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of incomplete
Adverb
  • But the market’s impressive ability to at least partially work its way around the conflict has also prevented prices from surging as astronomically high as the world’s largest-ever oil supply shock would suggest.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The experience is…less fun, although bad film aficionados know that some level of tedium is inherent to almost all of the most canonical worst movies ever.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of ever
Adverb
  • Online sales accounted for 15 percent of the global art market last year, and collectors can increasingly buy from smaller auction houses halfway around the world based on catalogue photographs.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The feat is the latest victory to come of the 407-feet-tall Starship's most recent flight test, which saw the world's largest rocket launch from South Texas and fly halfway around the world before the upper section landed intact in the ocean.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of halfway
Noun
  • The City Attorney's Office has about 160 lawyers, including an Employment Law section with 17 total employees, according to the city.
    — Brian Maass, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The archive Mittelman created covers every iteration of the live-theater playhouse and has several sections, one of which lists the name of everyone who ever performed on its stage.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of section
Noun
  • The states, the WGA and Paramount later entered a stipulation to delay the merger — the functional equivalent of a preliminary injunction — which did not include any bond requirement.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
  • For services businesses, the equivalent is software subscriptions and vendor contracts that renewed automatically last year and will renew again this year unless someone actually looks.
    — Nick Chandi, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of equivalent
Adjective
  • August's partial lunar eclipse will occur as Earth passes directly between the sun and moon during the full moon phase — an imperfect alignment that will see our planet's intense inner shadow cover 96% of the visible face of our natural satellite.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The restrictions pertain to parking lanes, curb lanes, and partial travel lanes to assist with the buildout and breakdown of the event, according to a city news release.
    — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of partial

Phrases Containing half

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hales
half
half-and-half
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Cite this Entry

“Half.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of half for Spanish Speakers

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