halfway

1 of 2

adverb

half·​way ˈhaf-ˈwā How to pronounce halfway (audio)
ˈhäf-
Synonyms of halfwaynext
: 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
On Sunday, their stop at the park came halfway through a busy day. Anna Spoerre, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026 Two other members of the task force are involved at the beginning of the series, one of whom just stops being mentioned halfway through, like the actor suddenly got a better job, while the other starts off relevant to the team and becomes an occasional errand boy. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026
Adjective
In response to warnings about high temperatures, the sporting body announced the implementation of three-minute hydration breaks at the halfway point of each half in all tournament matches. Fernanda González, Wired News, 15 June 2026 Southbound on the autobahn, just shy of the halfway point to Munich, a 45‑minute detour east leads to Weltenburger Klosterbrauerei, brewing since 1050. David Dickstein, Oc Register, 10 June 2026 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 23 Jun. 2026.

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

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