somewhat

1 of 2

pronoun

some·​what ˈsəm-ˌ How to pronounce somewhat (audio)
(ˌ)səm-ˈ(h)wät,
-ˈ(h)wət

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
Adverb
The country artist also reveals his tenth album, titled 'Flyin,' will be released May 10 An icon in the Texas music scene for over two decades, Wade Bowen has released a total of nine records thus far in his career — following a somewhat standard philosophy for each. Tricia Despres, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024 Either Brando or Coppola decided to remove the bezel from the watch, giving it a worn, somewhat crazed look—much like Brando’s character. Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2024 Unlike many right-wing Twitter clones, the site functions well, has remained mostly online, and actually appears to have a somewhat active user base. William Turton, WIRED, 22 Mar. 2024 Beat butter, sugar, and eggs until somewhat fluffy. Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 22 Mar. 2024 Local librarians take a somewhat brighter view, noting that while circulation is still down since the pandemic, digital loans of popular series such as Dogman, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol remain strong. Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024 Region Gain is somewhat similar to Clip Gain, one of my favorite features in Pro Tools. PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024 Over time, lower real estate commissions should lead to somewhat lower housing prices. Scott Horsley, NPR, 22 Mar. 2024 Similarly cold conditions can be anticipated tonight before temperatures turn somewhat milder to end the workweek and a rainstorm heads our way. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'somewhat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near somewhat

Cite this Entry

“Somewhat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/somewhat. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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

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