mostly

adverb

most·​ly ˈmōst-lē How to pronounce mostly (audio)
Synonyms of mostlynext
: for the greatest part : mainly
a mostly accurate story

Synonyms of mostly

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Examples of mostly in a Sentence

the weather this month has been mostly mild
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.
The boundary, which covers nearly one third of the county, mostly east of the Econlockhatchee River, has drawn widespread support among Republicans and Democrats for decades. — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026 The Hawks mostly kept it clean against the Kings (3-6-2), while also sticking together for all 60 minutes. — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026 Casey Montana owns War Angel Farms, a 100-acre family farm that rescues horses mostly from kill pens in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. — Brian Unger, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026 The rear camera appears to be mostly carried over from the 2024 model. — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mostly

Word History

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mostly was in 1563

Rhymes for mostly

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Browse Nearby Words

mostlings
mostly
most of the time
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Cite this Entry

“Mostly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mostly. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mostly

adverb
most·​ly ˈmōst-lē How to pronounce mostly (audio)
: for the greatest part : mainly
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