Partially-Partly | Commonly Confused Words
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Partially vs. Partly

Partially

/ˈpɑːʃəli/
Only somewhat; not completely

Examples:

In others it only partially succeeds.Before him was the squid cut in two and partially devoured.Maybe he's partially deaf.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Partly

/ˈpɑːtli/
To a certain degree or in some part; not completely

Examples:

A man was killed and Major Ellerby was partly responsible.The French partly mobilized their army.She drew herself partly away and looked at him.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • Partially often implies something incomplete rather than just a part of a whole.
  • Partly is generally used when referring to a part of a whole.
  • You can think of partially as indicating some degree of being not fully done.
  • Think of partly when emphasizing a component or piece of something.
  • Remember that partially may be used in a broader context, while partly focuses on specific parts.
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