purely

adverb

pure·​ly ˈpyu̇r-lē How to pronounce purely (audio)
Synonyms of purelynext
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

Synonyms of purely

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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.
Ian, my character, is not entirely good, and Henry, the ostensibly villainous character played by Brendan Cowell, is not purely dark either. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026 However, Jud Taylor, vice president of sales, said the timing was purely coincidental with America 250. — Jennie Bell, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026 Treating human capital as a purely algorithmic input can eventually degrade workplace culture, stall creative risk-taking and result in homogenized thinking. — Syed Ahmad, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Future deployments Placing the geothermal plant on top of a natural hydrothermal vent was a one-time test for purely research and demonstration purposes, Redd said. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026 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

Rhymes for purely

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Browse Nearby Words

Pure Land
purely
pure minor scale
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Cite this Entry

“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purely. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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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
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