somewhat

1 of 2

pronoun

some·​what ˈsəm-ˌ(h)wət How to pronounce somewhat (audio)
ˈsəm-ˌ(h)wät, 
(ˌ)səm-ˈ(h)wət, 
(ˌ)səm-ˈ(h)wät
Synonyms of somewhatnext
: something

somewhat

2 of 2

adverb

: in some degree or measure : slightly

Synonyms of somewhat

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Adverb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of somewhat in a Sentence

Adverb He felt somewhat awkward in his suit. Our work has progressed somewhat. The course is somewhat more difficult than I was told it would be.
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Adverb
Moore still talks to Petersen somewhat regularly, such as during the offseason and before the Apple Cup game against Washington earlier this season — Moore’s Cougars lost 24-10. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026 The differing approaches, which converged somewhat in Paralyzed By Hope, are equally legit, Netflix’s vp of original documentaries Adam Del Deo, told THR. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026 Conveying the idea would likely involve several signs — which somewhat takes the wind out of rawdog’s superlative sails. — New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026 The debate was somewhat tamer than the two candidates' first faceoff earlier this month, which featured insults and interruptions in virtually every answer. — Aaron Navarro, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for somewhat

Word History

First Known Use

Pronoun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of somewhat was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing somewhat

Rhymes for somewhat

See All Rhymes for somewhat

Browse Nearby Words

someway
somewhat
somewhat of
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Somewhat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/somewhat. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

somewhat

1 of 2 pronoun
some·​what ˈsəm-ˌ(h)wät How to pronounce somewhat (audio)
-ˌ(h)wət;
(ˌ)səm-ˈ(h)wät, 
-ˈ(h)wət
: some unspecified part or amount : something
somewhat of what you say is true

somewhat

2 of 2 adverb
: in some measure : slightly
somewhat comfortable
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