half 1 of 3

noun

ˈhaf How to pronounce half (audio)
Definition of halfnext
1
as in part
one of two equal or nearly equal parts to be fair, we should each get half the pie

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in match
either of a pair matched in one or more qualities it's the bottom half of the ninth inning, and the Yankees are up at bat

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

half

2 of 3

adjective

as in incomplete
lacking some necessary part half measures that did nothing but prolong the problem

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

half

3 of 3

adverb

1
as in ever
in any way or respect this cut on your arm isn't half as bad as it looks

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2
as in halfway
in some measure or degree what you said is only half true

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 half
Noun
But the lead quickly expanded in the second half, thanks to a 15-0 run by Charlotte, which lasted nearly three minutes and was capped off by Allen’s three-pointer. — Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026 In the second half — with rain falling — BYU scored on their first drive, but UCF answered right back to regain their three-point lead. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Adjective
The Swedish native’s two-and-a-half-minute film starred his wife, Lotta Losten, as a woman stalked by a mysterious figure when the lights go out. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 25 Oct. 2026 As of October 23, George is presumably home at Forest Lodge with the rest of his family, as his half-term break from studies at Eton College began on Friday and will last through November. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 25 Oct. 2026
Adverb
Even the mountains, despite winds Friday gusting above 30 mph, won’t be half bad. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026 The deer came at a dead run, stopping once and half turning as if looking for something, then coming again. — Al Dawson, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for half
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half
  1. part
  2. match
  3. incomplete
  4. ever
  5. halfway
  6. section
  7. equivalent
  8. partial
Noun
  • Such calculations are part of a wider effort to understand why molecular simulations remain challenging.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Valkyries president says self-care is a non-negotiable Smith doesn’t compartmentalize the professional and personal parts of her life.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of part
Noun
  • Paris Saint-Germain, one of the most popular soccer teams in the world, rescheduled its Saturday match to Monday because of the unrest in the area.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • However, the first five minutes of the match painted a different story.
    — Amna Subhan, AJC.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of match
Adjective
  • And when records are incomplete, modern tools have the ability to impute missing values and attach a confidence score to each estimate, so the person reviewing the output sees both the conclusion and the margin of uncertainty around it.
    — Amanda Turcotte, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Documentation can be incomplete, and essential business rules may exist only in the original code.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of incomplete
Adverb
  • The ultra-wealthy may have more peers than ever before, but DiFuria and Goldbart said many of them feel cut off.
    — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Antonelli is on track to break a record set in 2010 by Sebastian Vettel, who became the youngest-ever world champion in a title-deciding thriller.
    — Sahil Kapur, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of ever
Adverb
  • The state is only halfway to its 2030 target and, at the current pace, may not meet it until 2034; the 2045 goal requires even steeper cuts.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Home Harvest is the latest contender in this indoor smart garden space, with two appliances designed to turn microgreens, herbs, and salads into something halfway between a countertop convenience and a gardening project.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of halfway
Noun
  • The frack happening beneath us was about half as deep as Mount Everest is high, in a section of oil-rich rock that used to be considered out of reach; other innovations allow for simultaneous fracks, minimizing downtime.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Muchnick said his seats, in section 144, jumped from $3430 this season to $3795 next season.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of section
Noun
  • This elegant purple is the equivalent of buying a classic Max Mara trench in mulberry instead of tan—streamlined and simple, but with a wink.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The company held almost $132 billion in cash, equivalents and short-term investments at the end of June.
    — Jordan Novet, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of equivalent
Adjective
  • Investors and sports fans can now take their shot at becoming partial owners of one or both teams through pure-play sports stocks, or just pass.
    — Robert Gray, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • News of the potential deal comes as Witkoff is expected to present Putin with a proposal for a partial ceasefire covering energy and food infrastructure, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Tuesday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of partial

Phrases Containing half

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hales
half
half-and-half
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Cite this Entry

“Half.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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