1
: to the exclusion of all else
done solely for money
2
: without another : singly
went solely on her way
Examples of solely in a Sentence
His rank was based solely on merit.
You will be held solely responsible for any damage.
She did not write solely for money.
Recent Examples on the Web
Honorees on International Power Players among rights organizations were chosen solely by Billboard’s editorial team and not through industry nominations.
—
Thom Duffy, Billboard, 29 Apr. 2024
At least one member argued the board’s difficulties weren’t solely due to external problems.
—Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2024
While newspapers will continue to cover local school board meetings and school athletics and activities, the public notices will be published on school websites with little web traffic and remain solely within the control of school officials and board members.
—Forum Communications Company, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2024
According to the study, almost two-thirds of major films with API leads do not tell API race-specific stories — which does not necessarily mean the entire show centers solely around these characters’ API identities.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 24 Apr. 2024
His son, Albert, built a shoe factory at East Juneau Avenue and North Market Street, with a power plant in the basement solely for the factory’s electric needs.
—Journal Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2024
The feature will still exist in a limited capacity solely for Wattpad to communicate with writers, though the company notes that users will be unable to respond to such messages.
—Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 23 Apr. 2024
Often used in therapeutic settings, art therapy helps patients to process emotions and thoughts more freely without relying solely on verbal communication.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 22 Apr. 2024
The views and opinions expressed by podcast speakers and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions of Deloitte or its personnel.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024
Thom Duffy, Billboard, 29 Apr. 2024
At least one member argued the board’s difficulties weren’t solely due to external problems.
—Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2024
While newspapers will continue to cover local school board meetings and school athletics and activities, the public notices will be published on school websites with little web traffic and remain solely within the control of school officials and board members.
—Forum Communications Company, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2024
According to the study, almost two-thirds of major films with API leads do not tell API race-specific stories — which does not necessarily mean the entire show centers solely around these characters’ API identities.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 24 Apr. 2024
His son, Albert, built a shoe factory at East Juneau Avenue and North Market Street, with a power plant in the basement solely for the factory’s electric needs.
—Journal Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2024
The feature will still exist in a limited capacity solely for Wattpad to communicate with writers, though the company notes that users will be unable to respond to such messages.
—Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 23 Apr. 2024
Often used in therapeutic settings, art therapy helps patients to process emotions and thoughts more freely without relying solely on verbal communication.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 22 Apr. 2024
The views and opinions expressed by podcast speakers and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions of Deloitte or its personnel.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'solely.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near solely
Cite this Entry
“Solely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solely. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
solely
adverb
sole·ly
ˈsō(l)-lē 
2
: only entry 2 sense 1a
done solely for money
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