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

Floyd comes across as a purely kind soul, making his willingness to cheat on his wife seem out of character. —Judy Berman, Time, 26 Feb. 2026

If Earth were covered in a perfectly calm ocean with no winds or currents, the water would settle into broad hills and valleys defined purely by gravity. —Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 25 Feb. 2026

At some point, the investments turned into investing itself, where purely financing finance (as abstract a phenomenon as there could be) leads to Lehman as a pejorative. —David John Chávez, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026

Suddenly he’s found not just a place in Jennifer’s rarefied world, but a starring role, purely on talent and without her help at all. —ABC News, 25 Feb. 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