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.
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
But O’Connell, who serves somewhat as an in-between, gets to stick around as well. — Sam Warren, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026 But the landscape changed somewhat when Miami traded receiver Tutu Atwell to the Rams for former Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter, who led the SEC in per carry average in 2024. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026 Okra, a vegetable prominently grown throughout the South and used in countless dishes, can be a somewhat polarizing piece of produce. — Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2026 Doing all of these transformations at full scale was an obvious challenge, and so this version of the Unicorn Gundam somewhat simplified the transformation in favor of the Destroy mode. — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 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 1 Sep. 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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