somewhat

1. 1
   to some degreeadverb

   To a limited degree or extent; not entirely.

   His explanation was somewhat convincing, though gaps remained.

   The results were somewhat surprising given how the trial began.

   UsageGoes before an adjective or comparative (somewhat better, a somewhat personal choice) or after a verb (prices fell somewhat).

   Similarslightly, rather, fairly, moderately, partly

   Oppositevery, extremely, entirely, completely

   Note

   The American novelist Winston Churchill's The Celebrity (1897) has 'a somewhat long business trip.' Because it signals only a modest dose of a quality, the British understated 'very' can be hard to spot.

2. 2
   something ofnoununcountable

   Used as a noun: some part, amount, or degree of a thing or quality, as in being somewhat of an expert.

   Although he had lived in the town for only a year, he had become somewhat of a local celebrity after his bakery opened.

   The sudden resignation came as somewhat of a shock to the staff.

   UsageToday mostly in somewhat of a (somewhat of a surprise); something of a means the same.

   Similarsomething

   Note

   The quantity noun usually travels with of: somewhat of his good sense, somewhat of food. Dryden uses it in 1700 to report other readers' fear that a poet's sense suffers in translation, and Richard Burton's translation, in 'Night 558' (1885), still writes 'somewhat of clothes.' It differs from the archaic 'something' by measuring a share rather than naming a thing.

3. 3
   adverbUK

   Very; used as deliberate understatement, so that a large degree is described as if it were slight.

   It was minus fifteen on the moors that morning, and the sheep looked somewhat cold.

   Having lost nine-nil at home, the manager was somewhat disappointed with his side.

   UsageThe joke depends on context and a dry tone; when you need to be understood plainly, use very.

   Note

   British understatement at work: the word says "a little" and means "a lot", so a fan whose side has just been thrashed may admit to being somewhat disappointed. It looks exactly like the ordinary hedge, and only context and a dry tone tell them apart; the figure is called meiosis.

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