mostly

adverb

most·​ly ˈmōst-lē How to pronounce mostly (audio)
: for the greatest part : mainly

Examples of mostly in a Sentence

the weather this month has been mostly mild
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.
According to Joseph Lautenbach, a wildlife biologist with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the state has seen a mostly steady increase in its native rabbit species, the eastern cottontail, over the past 10 years. Emma Wozniak, The Enquirer, 31 July 2025 Parents could opt their children out of the restrictions under the measure, which passed the state House along a mostly party-line vote May 10. Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025 But on the day before, there were mostly green smiley faces with a few red ones sprinkled in. Jamie L. Lareau, Freep.com, 30 July 2025 Despite Tesla’s previous dominance, growth was mostly driven by more traditional automakers like Porsche and Toyota, which reported 249% and 196% increases in volume respectively. Earl Carr, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for mostly

Word History

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mostly was in 1563

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mostly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mostly. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

mostly

adverb
most·​ly ˈmōst-lē How to pronounce mostly (audio)
: for the greatest part : mainly

More from Merriam-Webster on mostly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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