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.
There is also going to be a future patch that moves beyond purely technical issues to get into some of the larger problems in the game, and Capcom has made a long list of changes and fixes coming in that next update: Equipment loadouts can remove decorations, Bowgun customization and Kinsects. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025 First of all, President Zelenskyy didn't fully understand that this agreement was just purely with President Trump. CBS News, 9 Mar. 2025 The bit was purely for the benefit of us in the room. Nate Jones, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2025 Critics question the wisdom of tying America’s financial future to a purely speculative, highly volatile asset. Allison Morrow, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purely. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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

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