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

Ana is directly and solely responsible for the public safety crisis. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Initially Grant tried to separate the recipe from its provider and solely focus on the food itself, but the process didn’t feel quite right. — Jessi Roti, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026

Rather than relying solely on conventional T cells, future treatments may be able to exploit gamma delta T cells to expose a vulnerability in a cancer that has proved exceptionally difficult to treat. — New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026

The ex-agents allege they were filed solely over their role in the probe. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 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