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

somewhat

2 of 2

adverb

: in some degree or measure : slightly

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.
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
Ethan tries to make a somewhat normal life for himself and even gets hitched. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 20 May 2025 Even though CEOs are interested and intrigued by how AI can help their organization, many remain somewhat vague on the exact nature of that help. Hugo Farinha, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 Toronto had about a minute of somewhat steady pressure in the zone prior to that. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 19 May 2025 The requirements for joining the program are somewhat complicated. Sarah Cahalan, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Somewhat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/somewhat. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on somewhat

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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