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 of purely

• innocently
• properly
• chastely
• morally

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

Rather than learning purely from real-world trial and error, these systems absorb the rules of physics through simulation, practicing in digital environments where failure is cheap and fast. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026

From a purely political standpoint, none of the sextet scored some point that will reverberate enough to change the dynamics of the campaign. —Dan Walters, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026

The judging was purely on Aggression, Damage and Control, however the imagination and creativity seen in the pits was inspirational. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026

From a purely financial perspective, the decision carried risk. —Nia Bowers, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for purely

• demurely
• maturely
• obscurely
• securely
• insecurely
• prematurely
• surely

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