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 Some European officials like to frame this as a purely economic question. Luke McGee, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 The Los Angeles Community Action Network, one of the intervening groups, and other homeless advocates contend that the law is purely for the purpose of cleansing certain areas of homeless people. Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024 These are more purely gentian-focused, typically made of gentian lutea, a bright yellow flowering plant that grows wild in many mountain regions; the plant has thick roots that are dried and used for the drink. M. Carrie Allan, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 More broadly, the muted, purely symbolic form of civil disobedience envisioned by the initiative underscores just how little the Russian opposition can do to influence events in the country amid the pervasive repression. Nanna Heitmann, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024 The law requires presidential documents to be turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration, though former presidents may retain notes and papers created for purely personal reasons. Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 15 Mar. 2024 My guess, however, is that Trump’s rants about migrant crime aren’t purely strategic. Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024 Interviews with two of Clemente’s sons as well as his late wife Vera capture a man who was loving, dedicated and just a bit eccentric — a fight almost breaks out between two talking heads over whether or not Clemente was a hypochondriac — in a purely human way. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 The 7-foot-1 forward has yet to have an offseason dedicated purely to improving his game. Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'purely.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 Mar. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!