solely

adverb

sole·​ly ˈsō(l)-lē 

1

: to the exclusion of all else

done solely for money

2

: without another : singly

went solely on her way

Synonyms of solely

• only
• purely
• exclusively
• just
• simply

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

To save the cost and effort of pumping millions of liters of seawater solely to obtain minerals, the researchers propose bolting modular reactors onto coastal desalination plants, which already move enormous quantities of the stuff. — New Atlas, 27 July 2026

Rather than relying solely on its onboard battery, the drone received continuous power from the vessel, enabling longer-duration aerial surveillance. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 July 2026

The law broadly prohibits such actions, creating a narrow exception allowing temporary retention for up to ten hours solely for I-9 verification and copying. — Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Russia, meanwhile, would struggle to reassemble an economy that has been badly battered, one that relies almost solely on the fickle oil market and the war economy itself. — Thomas Nagorski, Time, 27 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

solely

adverb

sole·​ly ˈsō(l)-lē 

1

: without another : singly, alone

2

: only entry 2 sense 1a

done solely for money