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
Each successive clip is both effortlessly consumable and wholly unsatisfying.
—
Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
His first foray into retail for the brand was a pop-up in London in 2008, and many British customers were reticent about the price point, even though the product was wholly made in England.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2025
Evil is aided and abetted by those who stand back and do nothing, who swallow the lies and turn away from images of death and destruction that are wholly preventable.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Good Fortune is wholly attuned to Reeves’s unique serotonin-releasing talents.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wholly
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Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
His first foray into retail for the brand was a pop-up in London in 2008, and many British customers were reticent about the price point, even though the product was wholly made in England.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2025
Evil is aided and abetted by those who stand back and do nothing, who swallow the lies and turn away from images of death and destruction that are wholly preventable.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Good Fortune is wholly attuned to Reeves’s unique serotonin-releasing talents.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 17 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 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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