solely

adverb

sole·​ly ˈsō(l)-lē How to pronounce solely (audio)
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 Currently, the framework of real estate solely emphasizes the buy and sell transaction, said John Bodrozic, co-founder of HomeZada, a real estate tech company. John Towfighi, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 The series marked the first time the Cuban national team had faced a squad composed solely of major league players, and the first time since 1959 a big league club played in Cuba. CBS News, 23 Mar. 2024 Justin Vovk, adjunct professor of history at Redeemer University, thinks the choice to solely film the princess was intentional. Alice Li, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024 Justice Department officials vehemently deny that external pressure spurred them to move faster and maintain that their decisions were prompted solely by the collection of evidence. Adam Goldman, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024 This was code for saying that the United States should revert to funding foreign relief and recovery assistance solely through the UN. Benn Steil, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2024 That’s because few people move solely for a tax break, says Barbara Goodstein, another managing partner in R360’s New York office. Byalicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Lewis — consciously or not, solely or not, maybe just as a sign of the times — succeeded in getting Oppenheimer canceled. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024 Now, nearly five years after former acting city auditor Kyle Elser began lobbying for his own attorney in cases that presented potential conflicts of interest, San Diego voters have granted that office the authority to retain its own legal counsel, rather than rely solely on the city attorney. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'solely.' 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

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of solely was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near solely

Cite this Entry

“Solely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solely. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

solely

adverb
sole·​ly ˈsō(l)-lē How to pronounce solely (audio)
1
: without another : singly, alone
2
: only entry 2 sense 1a
done solely for money

More from Merriam-Webster on solely

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!