You use partly to indicate that something happens or exists to some extent, but not completely.
It's partly my fault.
He let out a long sigh, mainly of relief, partly of sadness.
I have not worried so much this year, partly because I have had other things to thinkabout.
I feel partly responsible for the problems we're in.
Synonyms: partially, relatively, somewhat, slightly More Synonyms of partly
partly in British English
(ˈpɑːtlɪ)
adverb
to some extent; not completely
▶ USAGE Partly and partially are to some extent interchangeable, but partly should be used when referring to a part or parts of something: the building is partly (not partially) of stone, while partially is preferred for the meaning to some extent: his mother is partially (not partly) sighted
partly in American English
(ˈpɑrtli)
adverb
in some measure or degree; in part; not fully or completely
Examples of 'partly' in a sentence
partly
Was it partly about finding an identity while growing up in the public eye?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The blog came about partly as an online portfolio and partly to keep up my writing.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He is partly responsible for this.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This is partly about policy uncertainty.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The FA is partly responsible for another fine mess.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's partly about the mood music from Britain detected in foreign capitals.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He lives in sheltered accommodation and has had carers coming in four times a day for the past ten years, partly funded by the local council.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's probably partly responsible for why I spend quite a lot of time in opera where some conditions are easier.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This is partly about where we come from.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This could partly explain why attacks in the district are well down on previous years.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The reality is we are all partly responsible.
The Sun (2006)
The weaponry is then used partly to beat down the insurgency.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The choice will be determined partly by how much you choose to spend on school fees.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This is partly about parents and their interaction with officials.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Such attitudes may partly explain a disparity in the number of men and women taking posts abroad.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The financial sector was at least partly responsible for the biggest crisis in a century.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The money will partly be used to recruit and train more teachers.
The Sun (2015)
That depends partly on how much of the cut is passed on by the banks.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This is partly about delaying any report until after the next election.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Perhaps it partly explains why university is so important to her.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The airlines claim that taxes are partly responsible.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It is limited partly because sport used to be in denial.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Partly because so much of my life has been a nomadic existence.
The Sun (2012)
The trend is thought to be driven partly by claims about the health benefits of honey.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Its strength partly explains the absence of a specific country political party for most of this century.
Cloke, Paul J (ed) Rural Land-Use Planning in Developed Nations (1989)
Justice is partly about ensuring people see the error of their ways.
The Sun (2013)
It seems likely that this partly explains regional differences in preferences for home ownership.
Forrest, Ray & Murie, Alan & Williams, Peter Home-ownership - differentiation and fragmentation (1990)
Use partly what is practical, but also what feels right.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In this light, a loom could be seen as merely so much partly produced cloth.
Hunt, E. K. Property and Prophets: The Evolution of Economic Institutions and Ideologies (1995)
In other languages
partly
British English: partly /ˈpɑːtlɪ/ ADVERB
You use partly to indicate that something is true or exists to some extent, but not completely.
It's partly my fault.
American English: partly
Arabic: جُزْئِياً
Brazilian Portuguese: em parte
Chinese: 部分地
Croatian: dijelom
Czech: částečně
Danish: delvist
Dutch: gedeeltelijk
European Spanish: en parte
Finnish: osaksi
French: en partie
German: zum Teil
Greek: εν μέρει
Italian: parzialmente
Japanese: 部分的に
Korean: 부분적으로
Norwegian: delvis
Polish: częściowo
European Portuguese: em parte
Romanian: parțial
Russian: частично
Latin American Spanish: en parte
Swedish: delvis
Thai: บางส่วน
Turkish: kısmen
Ukrainian: частково
Vietnamese: phần nào
Chinese translation of 'partly'
partly
(ˈpɑːtlɪ)
adv
(= to some extent) 部分地 (bùfen de)
(adverb)
Definition
not completely
This is partly my fault.
Synonyms
partially
She is deaf in one ear and partially blind.
relatively
somewhat
He concluded that Oswald was somewhat abnormal.
slightly
in part
His reaction was due, in part, to his fear of rejection.
halfway (informal)
You need hard currency to get anything halfway decent.
not fully
in some measure
incompletely
up to a certain point
to a certain degree or extent
Opposites
completely
,
totally
,
fully
,
entirely
,
in full
,
wholly
Usage note
Partly and partially are to some extent interchangeable, but partly should be used when referring to a part or parts of something: the building is partly (not partially) made of stone, while partially is preferred for the meaning to some extent: his mother is partially (not partly) sighted.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of halfway
Definition
rather
You need hard currency to get anything halfway decent.
Synonyms
partially,
partly,
moderately,
rather,
nearly
in the sense of in part
Definition
to some degree
His reaction was due, in part, to his fear of rejection.