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
The Kings held the Warriors to 33 points in the second half after giving up 52 in the first half. — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026 SemiAnalysis also projects Nvidia's data-center compute revenue will run 20% above Wall Street consensus in the second half of fiscal 2027. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 6 July 2026
Adjective
Earlier, Carty reached his half century from 67 balls and Hope followed him to that milestone from 52 balls with four fours and two sixes. — ABC News, 11 July 2026 French President Emmanuel Macron is either tied with former President François Hollande as the most unpopular French president of the past half century, or surpasses him in unpopularity, depending on the poll used. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 July 2026
Adverb
Whether that cup is half full or half empty is the issue at hand. — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 29 June 2026 The Boston southpaw didn’t permit a baserunner until Spencer Jones, who botched a ball in center field a half-inning later, singled in the sixth inning. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 June 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
  • To Siebel Newsom, the critiques of her work and the federal probe are part of a broader hounding of women who enter the public sphere.
    — Jenny Jarvie Follow, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Malik Tillman stepped up and coolly scored on the free kick, his shot deflecting into the net off a Belgian player who was jumping as part of a wall.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 7 July 2026
Definition of part
Noun
  • Captain Tim Ream entered the media area after the defeat, a shell of a man who had spent the previous days proudly leading the team throughout this tournament, playing in four US matches at this World Cup.
    — David Close, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • The red card also carried with it a ban from the team’s next game — in this case, the Belgium match — but FIFA suspended that penalty and imposed a one-year probation instead.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of match
Adjective
  • During her closing arguments, Vasquez’s defense attorney, Julia Jara, characterized the investigation as incomplete.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
  • However, the technology provides incomplete answers with extraordinary confidence, often missing crucial human elements like motivations, emotions, and timing that drive transactions.
    — John Walkup, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of incomplete
Adverb
  • Dodger Stadium is dripping in lore, from Kirk Gibson’s legendary walk-off home run in 1988 to more history, like Shohei Ohtani playing perhaps the greatest game ever last postseason.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Kesko will repaint or scrap one truck, the clip will make its rounds, and next week Finns will go back to buying their milk, with the brand never having been in much danger and its composure the only thing that was ever really on trial.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of ever
Adverb
  • As the brief clip shows, the flood reached about halfway up nearby transmission poles, and well beyond the first floor of nearby buildings.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 8 July 2026
  • The intersection of the crosswires in the Redfield 4X scope had been exactly behind the foreleg and about halfway down from the backbone when the rifle went off.
    — Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 8 July 2026
Definition of halfway
Noun
  • The section’s vague language and many loopholes could have a chilling effect on any research that studies the effects of a disease, policy or public health intervention on any specific group of people, Rafla-Yuan said.
    — Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Starting Monday night, the section of Interstate 84 between the Black Canyon interchange at Exit 13 and the Oregon state line will be undergoing repairs.
    — Noah Daly July 10, Idaho Statesman, 10 July 2026
Definition of section
Noun
  • The center of Super Typhoon Bavi, the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane, was passing over Rota, an island of 2,000 people in the Northern Mariana Islands.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • In fact, the ratio is typical of that found on the outer edge of planet-forming discs around young stars, implying 3I/ATLAS formed a long way out from its parent star, perhaps in the equivalent of its Kuiper belt.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of equivalent
Adjective
  • Utah taxes Social Security benefits as regular income, offering a partial credit to offset them.
    — Scott Cohn, CNBC, 9 July 2026
  • The board didn’t approve the building of a private club or the partial demolition requested of a wall that would allow the space to open up to the outside.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 9 July 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 13 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of half for Spanish Speakers

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