1
: to the exclusion of all else
done solely for money
2
: without another : singly
went solely on her way
Examples of solely in a Sentence
His rank was based solely on merit.
You will be held solely responsible for any damage.
She did not write solely for money.
Recent Examples on the Web
All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, or its parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium.
—
Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 15 May 2026
Over the course of Obsession's 108-minute runtime, Nikki transforms into an self-destructive, possessive, and dangerously violent shadow of her former self as Bear's spell forces her to fixate solely on her unnatural devotion to him—no matter the cost.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 15 May 2026
The 153% rise in stock value over the last year is not solely due to an earnings surprise.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Those systems were monochrome, though, and focused solely on driving.
—New Atlas, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for solely
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.
Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 15 May 2026
Over the course of Obsession's 108-minute runtime, Nikki transforms into an self-destructive, possessive, and dangerously violent shadow of her former self as Bear's spell forces her to fixate solely on her unnatural devotion to him—no matter the cost.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 15 May 2026
The 153% rise in stock value over the last year is not solely due to an earnings surprise.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Those systems were monochrome, though, and focused solely on driving.
—New Atlas, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for solely
Cite this Entry
“Solely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solely. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
solely
adverb
sole·ly
ˈsō(l)-lē 
2
: only entry 2 sense 1a
done solely for money
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
