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
On the more purely pop side, Man’s Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter (the only member of the class of 2024 to return with a new LP this go-round) and Justin Bieber’s Swag seem poised for album of the year nods.
—
Alan Light, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
At a certain point, the discussion and decision becomes purely economical.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025
The supercapacitor-hybrid Sian pumps out more power overall and Lamborghini has announced further plans to transition quickly toward fully electric supercars, but the Ultimae will reign as the most powerful, purely internal-combustion Aventador ever built.
—Ben Oliver, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2025
The idea behind the Tumbleweed project is to design large-scale, low-cost robotic rovers that can cover great swathes of the Martian surface while driven purely by the breeze.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for purely
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Alan Light, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
At a certain point, the discussion and decision becomes purely economical.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025
The supercapacitor-hybrid Sian pumps out more power overall and Lamborghini has announced further plans to transition quickly toward fully electric supercars, but the Ultimae will reign as the most powerful, purely internal-combustion Aventador ever built.
—Ben Oliver, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2025
The idea behind the Tumbleweed project is to design large-scale, low-cost robotic rovers that can cover great swathes of the Martian surface while driven purely by the breeze.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2025
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 Oct. 2025.
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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