English Reference
Word adverb

mostly

adv.
US /ˈmoʊsɫi/ UK /mˈəʊstli/ most·ly
Definition
  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    for the most part, or in most cases.

    chiefly or principally; used to indicate that a situation or quality applies to the majority of a group or time.

    Simple

    “The people at the party were mostly students from the local college.”

    In context

    “The local economy relies mostly on seasonal tourism, which leaves many businesses struggling during the colder winter months.”

    Usage

    Typically placed before the adjective, adverb, or phrase it modifies, or after the verb 'to be'.

    Synonyms
    mainlychieflyprincipallylargely
    Antonyms
    rarelyslightly
Don't confuse

mostly vs most — Most functions as a determiner or pronoun to indicate the majority of a group, while mostly is an adverb meaning mainly or generally.

Etymology

From most + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Very common
Updated