purely

adverb

pure·​ly ˈpyu̇r-lē How to pronounce purely (audio)
1
a
: to a full extent : totally
purely by accident
b
: wholly, exclusively
a selection based purely on merit
2
: without admixture of anything injurious or foreign
3
: simply, merely
read purely for relaxation
4
: in a chaste or innocent manner

Examples of purely in a Sentence

They met purely by accident. a selection based purely on merit The organization's mission, purely and simply, is to provide food to people who need it. It was purely and simply a matter of greed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The literal collaging in her work complements and sometimes contradicts her purely painterly juxtapositions. Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 5 Nov. 2024 The results challenge the traditional view of bitcoin as a purely speculative asset. Andrey Sergeenkov, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 Any prices or levels shown are either historical or purely indicative. Katie Stockton, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024 Kerr’s 12-man rotation could be whittled down to nine purely for health reasons. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for purely 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of purely was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near purely

Cite this Entry

“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purely. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

purely

adverb
pure·​ly ˈpyu̇(ə)r-lē How to pronounce purely (audio)
1
: to the full or entire extent
2
: without the addition of anything harmful or different
3
: for no other reason than : only
done purely for fun
4
: in an innocent manner

More from Merriam-Webster on purely

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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