for the most part

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for the most part (not comparable)

1. (idiomatic) In most aspects; mostly; generally.

   For the most part, the crowd was orderly.

   The sky is overcast for the most part.

   Until the 1600s, English was, for the most part, spoken in England.

   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 266, column 2:

     O, it offends mee to the Soule, to ſee a robuſtious Pery-wig-pated Fellow, teare a Paſſion to tatters, to verie ragges, to ſplit the eares of the Groundlings: who (for the moſt part) are capeable of nothing, but inexplicable dumbe ſhewes, & noiſe:

   • 1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 276:

     Such souls can with assistance rise to better things, but it is a very arduous task and for the most part they remain rejoicers in evil.

   • 1941 August, “Notes and News: The Swiss South Eastern Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 376:

     For the most part they were small standard gauge 0-6-0 side tanks of the type illustrated, with long tapered chimneys and an unusual feature for the Continent in the shape of domeless boilers, the protuberance just behind the chimney being a sandbox.

   • 2011 September 24, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania”, in BBC Sport‎:

     With half-time approaching, England rather switched off, but for the most part it was an improved first 40 minutes from Johnson's side, which came in for much criticism following stuttering displays in their first two games.

• by and large, on the whole; see also Thesaurus:mostly