halfway

1 of 2

adverb

half·​way ˈhaf-ˈwā How to pronounce halfway (audio)
ˈhäf-
: midway between two points
At length the cat steps halfway out the door, showing his spotted brown coat and the stripes on his legs.Paul Comstock

halfway

2 of 2

adjective

1
: midway between two points
at the halfway point/mark
2
: partial
a halfway solution

Examples of halfway in a Sentence

Adjective She was leading at the halfway mark of the race. We're halfway toward completing the project. They're only offering halfway measures, not a real solution.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adverb
Cover and cook until cheese is melted and coats macaroni well, about 2 hours on LOW, stirring halfway though. Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 1 June 2025 Holm said halfway into the 30-minute flight, the pilots noticed an issue with the engine on the left side of the plane, which had overheated. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 31 May 2025
Adjective
As murder defendant Karen Read rounds the corner on the halfway point of her second trial, the crippling weight of unpaid legal bills could be alleviated by an unlikely source: online crowdfunding. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2025 Heading into next week, Combs’ trial is nearing the halfway point as the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York moves its case into the final stretch before handing things over to the defense. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for halfway

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English half wey, from half half entry 2 + wey way entry 1

Adjective

derivative of halfway entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of halfway was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Halfway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halfway. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

halfway

adjective
half·​way -ˈwā How to pronounce halfway (audio)
1
: midway between two points
stop at the halfway mark
2
: partial sense 3
halfway measures
halfway adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on halfway

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!