Mostly synonym,synonyms of mostly
Mainly
- Similarity: Both "mostly" and "mainly" are used to indicate that something is true to a great extent or that the majority of a particular thing has a certain characteristic. For example, "The book is mostly about history" and "The book is mainly about history" both convey that the primary focus or content of the book is related to history. They both help to emphasize the dominant or principal aspect of a situation.
- Usage difference: "Mainly" often implies a stronger sense of being the main or central element. It is used when there is a clear primary factor or component. For example, "The diet consists mainly of fruits and vegetables" emphasizes that fruits and vegetables are the core or most important part of the diet. "Mostly" is a bit more flexible and can imply a higher proportion in a more general sense, without necessarily suggesting a strict hierarchy of importance. For example, "The students are mostly from the local area" just indicates a high percentage of local students, not that being from the local area is the most important thing about them.
Primarily
- Similarity: "Primarily" and "mostly" are similar in that they both express the idea of something being predominant or happening to a large degree. For instance, "The project was primarily/mostly funded by the government" shows that the government provided the major part of the funding.
- Usage difference: "Primarily" is often used when referring to the most important or fundamental reason, purpose, or source. It has a connotation of being at the forefront in terms of importance or priority. For example, "The event was primarily organized to raise awareness" emphasizes the main objective. "Mostly" is more about the quantity or extent to which something occurs or exists, rather than emphasizing importance or priority. "The guests were mostly friends of the family" is more about the number of guests who were friends, not necessarily that they were the most important guests.
Chiefly
- Similarity: "Chiefly" and "mostly" both convey the idea of something being the main or major part. They can both be used to describe the dominant element in a situation. For example, "The success of the plan was chiefly/mostly due to his efforts" indicates that his efforts were the most significant factor in the plan's success.
- Usage difference: "Chiefly" is more often used in a context where there is a sense of leadership or being the most important in a hierarchical sense. It implies that something or someone is the main or leading factor among others. For example, "The team was chiefly responsible for the victory" emphasizes the team's primary role. "Mostly" is more about the general prevalence or majority without necessarily having a strong connotation of leadership or hierarchy. "The animals in the zoo are mostly herbivores" is just about the majority of the animals being herbivores, not that herbivores are the most important or leading type of animals.
Largely
- Similarity: "Largely" and "mostly" are alike in expressing that something is true to a large extent or that a large part of something has a particular quality. For example, "The results are largely/mostly positive" means that a significant portion of the results are positive.
- Usage difference: "Largely" often implies a sense of being determined or influenced to a great degree by something. It is used when there is an understanding that external factors or circumstances have had a major impact. For example, "The company's growth is largely due to its innovative strategies" emphasizes the role of the strategies. "Mostly" is more about the inherent proportion or quantity within a particular set or situation. "The people at the party were mostly young" is just about the makeup of the people at the party in terms of age, without necessarily implying an external influence on their age distribution.
For the most part
- Similarity: "For the most part" and "mostly" both mean that something is generally or predominantly the case. They can be used interchangeably in many sentences. For example, "For the most part, the journey was smooth" and "The journey was mostly smooth" both convey that the journey was mainly without problems.
- Usage difference: "For the most part" is a bit more formal and often used to make a more general statement about a situation as a whole. It gives a sense of looking at the overall picture. "Mostly" is more commonly used in everyday speech and can be used to describe more specific aspects or parts of a situation. For example, you might say "The cake is mostly chocolate" when referring to the specific composition of the cake, while "For the most part, the party was a success" is a more general assessment of the entire event.