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
4
: in a chaste or innocent manner
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
This decision from the Virginia court, although made on purely procedural grounds, is likely to increase anxiety among some Maryland legislators who are nervous about adopting their own new map, which is designed to create one additional seat controlled by Democratic voters.
—
Sherrilyn Ifill, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2026
The Pentagon had established a network of 24 satellites purely for defense purposes.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Feb. 2026
Because what has changed is that the public has rejected the myth that the Fed operates in a purely technical realm.
—Annelise Riles, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
In a Substack post Monday, Burry argued that the original cryptocurrency, which has fallen 40% since peaking in October, has been exposed as a purely speculative asset, failing to take off as a debasement hedge similar to precious metals.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purely
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Sherrilyn Ifill, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2026
The Pentagon had established a network of 24 satellites purely for defense purposes.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Feb. 2026
Because what has changed is that the public has rejected the myth that the Fed operates in a purely technical realm.
—Annelise Riles, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
In a Substack post Monday, Burry argued that the original cryptocurrency, which has fallen 40% since peaking in October, has been exposed as a purely speculative asset, failing to take off as a debasement hedge similar to precious metals.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purely
Cite this Entry
“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purely. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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