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
The strategy, while not wholly new for Johnson, comes as the Black and progressive bases that formed his road to victory in 2023 show early signs of eroding.
—
Regina Garcia Cano, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
That struck me as both a crying shame and wholly unsurprising.
—Chris Weatherspoon, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
Ireland needs an active President employed wholly by the people of Ireland.
—Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, 17 Mar. 2025
Papa is a wholly Hong Kong production with funding from the HKFDC.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wholly
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Regina Garcia Cano, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
That struck me as both a crying shame and wholly unsurprising.
—Chris Weatherspoon, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
Ireland needs an active President employed wholly by the people of Ireland.
—Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, 17 Mar. 2025
Papa is a wholly Hong Kong production with funding from the HKFDC.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wholly
Cite this Entry
“Wholly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wholly. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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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