halfway

American  

[haf-wey, hahf-] / ˈhæfˈweɪ, ˈhɑf- /

adverb

1. to half the distance; to midpoint.

   The rope reaches only halfway.

2. almost; nearly; just about.

   He halfway surrendered to their demands.

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adjective

1. midway, as between two places or points.

2. going to or covering only half or part of the full extent.

   halfway measures.

idioms

1. meet halfway, to compromise with; give in partially to.

   They didn't comply with all our demands, but met us halfway on the more important points.

halfway British  

/ ˌhɑːfˈweɪ /

adverb

1. at or to half the distance; at or to the middle

2. in or of an incomplete manner or nature

3. to compromise with

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halfway More Idioms  

1. see go halfway.

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Etymology

Origin of halfway

First recorded in 1350–1400, halfway is from Middle English half wei. See half, way ¹

Explanation

When you're halfway, you're at the middle point of something. If you pause to catch your breath halfway up a hill, you still have half the hill left to climb. You can make it halfway along a marathon route, or 13 miles, and you can also make it halfway through your book before you fall asleep. You might only make it halfway through an enormous slice of cake, or halfway through math class before you start to nod off. A halfway house, originally an inn between two cities, but today it's a place where released criminals or recovered addicts can live while they get back on their feet.

Example Sentences

The migrants were loaded into rubber dinghies, he says, and rowed halfway across the river.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

The 29-year-old Scot failed to make the halfway cut after rounds of 80 and 71 left him seven over par and he exited the tournament in Augusta.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

I realized we were only halfway through the wall, and there was a card like, “Story continues.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

The fall semester was more than halfway through when Stafford visited the UT–Arlington forensic lab on Nov. 6.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

The police car is already halfway down the road, moving slowly as if the driver is looking for the right house, checking the numbers on the gates as they pass.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler