MOSTLY Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

mostly

adverb

ˈmōst-lē

Definition of mostly

as in mainly

for the most part the weather this month has been mostly mild

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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 mostly The official warnings mostly cover central, west and southwest Colorado. — Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 7 July 2026 Instead, the mostly over-60 crowd went for a more resort-y look, including a few pairs of dark jeans that would’ve been out of bounds even a few short years ago. — Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026 Their complaints have been mostly incoherent and illogical, with UEFA's statement in particular being laughably inaccurate. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 July 2026 In the past several years, the state has mostly reported totals of around 50 cases a year, with a high of 97 in 2023, according to CDC data. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mostly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mostly

Adverb

The maintenance cycle appears to be driven mainly by univoltine Aedes species, mosquitoes that produce a single brood per year.

— John Drake, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Ernest Shackleton, an Irish explorer, is remembered mainly for the 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

— Adam Crafton, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of mainly

Adverb

Their tropical cocktails and frozen delights are easily crushable, primarily made with vodka, mezcal, rum and tequila.

— Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
Although Chicago had its issues with redlining and massive disinvestment that left generational scars on some primarily Black neighborhoods, the small town ethos held little sway over me.

— Dawn M. Turner, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Definition of primarily

Adverb

Giselle Garcia, program director for NorCal Resist, said the arrest data largely tracks with the organization’s own informal counts though emphasized much enforcement goes unaccounted for if families aren’t willing to speak up.

— Mathew Miranda July 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
During the war, as the death toll ticked upward in the enclave, search operations for bodies largely stopped, either because most heavy equipment was destroyed, fuel became scarce or many strike sites became inaccessible due to the fighting.

— Bilal Shbeir, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Definition of largely

Adverb

The 678 cases have predominantly been confirmed the southeast region of Michigan including Wayne County, where Detroit is located.

— Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 6 July 2026
The neighborhood attracted a predominantly working-class community of Black families who lived in modest single-family houses.

— Jena Brooker, ProPublica, 6 July 2026

Definition of predominantly

Adverb

Oppenheimer’s note was principally focused, fitting for a global strategist, on how equity returns will be reshaped in a new regime.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 June 2026
The laser targeted one of three ground stations, principally NASA's White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Table Mountain Facility in California, with a third, experimental ground station at the Australian National University's Mount Stromlo Observatory.

— Keith Cooper, Space.com, 15 June 2026

Definition of principally

Adverb

Gabriella paid off most of his entourage to leave him and the band alone and is now basically his own private Joe Jackson, pressuring him to record nonstop.

— Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 6 July 2026
First, Season 4 basically just dropped a lot of characters from the central story.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of basically

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most

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“Mostly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mostly. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of mostly

adverb

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