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
4
: in a chaste or innocent manner
Synonyms
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
Non-conference games are purely up to schools to schedule, and the Hurricanes’ scheduling agreements with teams like Florida and South Florida all have Miami playing at home this year.
—
Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2025
For now, however, Evans and Worton are purely concerned with getting the giants on their feet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2025
Literary historian Paul Zumthor argues that poetry with a purely oral tradition in that era invoked an open discourse, while written poetry, still communicated orally, made up a closed discourse.
—David Silverberg, JSTOR Daily, 29 Jan. 2025
This is purely profit-driven for sperm banks, which typically take one donation from each individual donor and divvy it up into a half-dozen or more vials of sperm, selling them for an average of $1,000 per vial.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for purely 
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Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2025
For now, however, Evans and Worton are purely concerned with getting the giants on their feet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2025
Literary historian Paul Zumthor argues that poetry with a purely oral tradition in that era invoked an open discourse, while written poetry, still communicated orally, made up a closed discourse.
—David Silverberg, JSTOR Daily, 29 Jan. 2025
This is purely profit-driven for sperm banks, which typically take one donation from each individual donor and divvy it up into a half-dozen or more vials of sperm, selling them for an average of $1,000 per vial.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for purely
Dictionary Entries Near purely
Cite this Entry
“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purely. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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