1
: to the full or entire extent : completely
a wholly owned subsidiary
2
: to the exclusion of other things : solely
a book dealing wholly with herbs
Examples of wholly in a Sentence
She is wholly devoted to her children.
An infant is wholly dependent on its mother.
The claim is wholly without merit.
Recent Examples on the Web
In our democratic experiment, our most fundamental duty is to see our neighbors as wholly human.
—
Dawn M. Turner,
Chicago Tribune,
5 July 2026
The rules were altered in 2004 at the urging of Algeria, which was struggling to field a competitive national team with wholly domestic players and saw dozens of better prospects from the diaspora living in France.
—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 July 2026
That power is not wholly spent, nor wholly eclipsed, by anti-democratic forces.
—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
3 July 2026
Which brings us to the second – 20th- and 21st-century – level of Wuthering Heights’ wholly justified fame.
—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wholly
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Dawn M. Turner,
Chicago Tribune,
5 July 2026
The rules were altered in 2004 at the urging of Algeria, which was struggling to field a competitive national team with wholly domestic players and saw dozens of better prospects from the diaspora living in France.
—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 July 2026
That power is not wholly spent, nor wholly eclipsed, by anti-democratic forces.
—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
3 July 2026
Which brings us to the second – 20th- and 21st-century – level of Wuthering Heights’ wholly justified fame.
—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wholly
Cite this Entry
“Wholly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wholly. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wholly
adverb
whol·ly
ˈhōl-(l)ē 
1
: to the full or entire extent : completely
a wholly different view
2
: to the exclusion of other things : solely
a book devoted wholly to sports cars
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