for the most part

phrase

: in general : on the whole
for the most part the crowd was orderly

Examples of for the most part in a Sentence

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.
More than anything, Swift’s masterpiece stands athwart Utopia and denounces the risky delusions of such a no-pace—for the most part. — Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026 One aspect of college football that has seemingly stood the test of time is the sanctity of the rivalry game (for the most part, anyway). — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026 And his subsequent directing efforts were, for the most part, either abortive or undistinguished. — Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026 Bayview Beach, north of Washburn, Wisconsin, encompasses several blissful miles of shoreline that, for the most part, remain a local secret. — Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for for the most part

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of for the most part was in the 15th century

Rhymes for for the most part

See All Rhymes for for the most part

Browse Nearby Words

for the moment
for the most part
for the nonce
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“For the most part.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/for%20the%20most%20part. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All