purely

adverb

pure·​ly ˈpyu̇r-lē 

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

• chastely
• innocently
• modestly
• morally
• righteously
• virtuously

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

But to focus purely on that is to miss what has been happening behind the scenes: The nurturing of a lasting bond and the type of personal growth that can only be borne out of genuine connection. —Daniel Popper, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025

Jamie Lee Curtis, LaKeith Stanfield, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Ana de Armas, and Chris Evans co-star in one of the most purely enjoyable films of the last decade. —Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025

The emphasis on robotics and autonomous systems through Cosmos also points to AI moving beyond purely digital applications into the physical world. —Esat Dedezade, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025

Right now there is no candidate who purely fits that bill. —Asher Notheis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

purely

adverb

pure·​ly ˈpyu̇(ə)r-lē 

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