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

The literal collaging in her work complements and sometimes contradicts her purely painterly juxtapositions. —Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 5 Nov. 2024

The results challenge the traditional view of bitcoin as a purely speculative asset. —Andrey Sergeenkov, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Any prices or levels shown are either historical or purely indicative. —Katie Stockton, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024

Kerr’s 12-man rotation could be whittled down to nine purely for health reasons. —Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2024

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