purely

adverb

pure·​ly ˈpyu̇r-lē 

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

3

: simply, merely

read purely for relaxation

4

: in a chaste or innocent manner

Synonyms of purely

• innocently
• properly
• chastely
• morally

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

That means Apple had to deliberately add a new light source beneath the screen layers to enable this purely-for-show feature. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026

It was used purely for photography, and no actors set foot here. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Since graphic communication is almost always faster, cheaper, and more immediately legible than purely architectural solutions, signage takes command. — Alec Mapes-Frances, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026

If Coulter’s framing takes hold with home gardeners, native, nectar-heavy species such as milkweed, asters, coneflowers and butterfly bushes may show up in beds that used to be purely ornamental. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for purely

• demurely
• maturely
• obscurely
• securely
• insecurely
• prematurely
• surely

Kids 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