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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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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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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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
Dreyer set up rookie defender Kieran Sargeant for his first career goal three minutes into the second half for a two-goal lead. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 Initial deliveries will begin in South Korea in late 2026, followed by an official rollout to the United States, UK, Europe, and Australian markets in the first half of 2027 as a 2028 model-year vehicle. — New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Once outside the walls of Buddyland and into the surrounding wilderness, Kelly shifts from boxy TV framing and video texture to a cinematic widescreen ratio, but the milieu still seems half-real, half-stylized. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Deploy cunning and operate in darkness, like those shapeshifting, half-human, half-wolf creatures revered in German folklore. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Adverb
The median days homes listed on the market — meaning half sold more quickly and half lingered longer — was 32 days in metro Detroit before selling in July, up five days from the same time a year ago. — Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Mistruths, false claims, scams, and other deceptive efforts are tricking people into thinking that a watermark removal app will do wonders, whereas the reality is that the results are at best half-mixed or aimed to cause damage. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 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
  • This article is part of the Business of Influence series, examining the inner workings of content creation and how the industry is set to change in the years to come.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • These folks include my sister, two brothers and a beloved SIL, all who’ve been a loving part of our 41-year-old’s life since birth.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of part
Noun
  • Player of the Week Senior outside hitter Quinn Grevengoed tallies 92 kills and 15 aces in seven matches and then is named MVP for host Chicago Christian as Knights take tournament title for first time since 2014.
    — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • For Katwala, the most impressive elements from the Games were the robots playing tennis, seeming to react to the movement of the ball and, in a match featuring robots playing alongside humans in doubles, of their partner, too.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of match
Adjective
  • Others in his circle, like Nabil Anani, his close friend, went to Hebron and returned with a car full of leather whose tanning was incomplete.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The experts could not evaluate six more deaths because coroner records were incomplete or unavailable.
    — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of incomplete
Adverb
  • By some metrics, KPop Demon Hunters may be the most popular movie ever to be added to the collection.
    — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Twenty-five years on and seeking revenge, Robbie infiltrates his gang from the bottom up in order to kill the man responsible, only to discover that the British underboss is grooming him to settle a debt no one was ever meant to survive.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of ever
Adverb
  • Stripes is nobody’s pushover, and in hunting him, or any other big game that’s worth a trip halfway around the world, there’s many a slip ‘twixt track and trophy.
    — Leslie E. Tassell, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Not everyone needs to deploy halfway around the world to make a difference, Evans said.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of halfway
Noun
  • The judge later ruled in late 2024 that the two sections were unconstitutional.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The goddess Gayatri, a divine manifestation of the Gayatri mantra, is described in the Mahanarayana Upanishad as having five heads, along with three feet, six abdominal sections, and 24 syllables.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of section
Noun
  • Diskin, Easo, Radhakrishnan, Sudakov, and Tassion were trying to work out something fundamental about how graphs — networks of points connected by lines, or edges — can be taken over by large connected areas, the equivalent of pools of fluid.
    — Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
  • California Cruise is close to the European equivalent of the Tourer 4Motion camper van Volkswagen already announced for the US market.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of equivalent
Adjective
  • Experts said it was most likely caused by a partial glacier collapse that sent tons of ice and rock crashing down into the valley below, setting off a powerful landslide.
    — Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
  • August’s full sturgeon moon will align with a partial lunar eclipse this week, producing a stunning cosmic sight for sky-gazers.
    — Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of partial

Phrases Containing half

Browse Nearby Words

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 1 Sep. 2026.

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