1
as in innocently
with purity of thought and deed the devout girl vowed to live her life purely and in the service of God

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in solely
for nothing other than I fish purely for the fun of it—I don't care if I end up with no fish to fry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in only
nothing more than her pleasantries were purely for show and masked her true feelings

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of purely The actors’ efforts are valiant; the visual results are purely, weirdly animatronic. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025 That concession should have led Biden and his war planners to conclude that purely retaliatory strikes on sites from which attacks on foreign ships were launched would not deter the militant group. The Editors, National Review, 18 Mar. 2025 Family of 13 Learns 'Chaos Rules' After Move to New York in New TLC Special Big Family, Big City (Exclusive) Tension between the men appears to grow as the season progresses, with Sean labeling their relationship as purely circumstantial. Liza Esquibias, People.com, 17 Mar. 2025 Any prices or levels shown are either historical or purely indicative. Katie Stockton, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for purely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purely
Adverb
  • Historically, Universal Standard ran its high-growth business solely through a direct-to-consumer model.
    Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 21 Mar. 2025
  • For entrepreneurs, this is a crucial lesson: don’t rely solely on third parties to handle production; immerse yourself in the process.
    Melissa Houston, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • Sadly, the use of Early Decision and Early Action plans has only increased in the subsequent year with some colleges enrolling more than 50% of their class this way.
    Brennan Barnard, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Loge agreed with Murkowski’s sentiment, suggesting that only vulnerable Republicans will dare openly oppose the president.
    Christian Datoc, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • Root veggies, celery, peppers, brassicas, alliums, potatoes, strawberries, and legumes (beans and peas) need at least 12 inches of soil to grow properly.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The superstar recently pushed a new single from the project — one that has been a fan favorite for months — which finally becomes a radio hit now that it’s being pushed properly.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • Director Mackenzie Donaldson’s film is set to hit select theaters on April 18 from Epic Pictures before debuting via digital platforms on April 22, The Hollywood Reporter can exclusively reveal.
    Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Now Glamour can exclusively reveal that the thrilling eight-episode limited series—which also stars Corey Stoll, Lorraine Toussaint, Matthew Modine, Gloria Reuben, and more—will premiere on Thursday, May 29.
    Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • Alabama is in the Elite 8 for just the third time in school history but second season in a row.
    Tim Casey, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • While scoring just three goals all season, there was none bigger than her goal to beat King’s Academy 1-0 in the regional championship.
    Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • A little over a year away from the World Cup, there’s a collective concern from within the U.S. soccer landscape that this current group — one that has created so much excitement in the fan base — may simply not be good enough for a historic run on home soil.
    Paul Tenorio, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Eventually, enough motor neurons in the brain or spinal cord die that people simply cannot breathe.
    Shayla Love, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • The pandemic, while a catalyst for change, merely accelerated existing trends and exposed underlying vulnerabilities.
    Pablo Listingart, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Game of Pets poses the question: What if life on Earth is merely a board game being played by giant animals whose avatars happen to be . . .
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purely. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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