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

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said in May that his league was solely focused on a 24-team model. — Chris Vannini, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026

The ByteDance app, for example, is directing users of its former AI companion service to another of its apps which solely focuses on building personalized AI characters and stories. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026

Rather than encouraging creators to focus solely on standalone videos, the platform is reportedly pushing them to develop recurring series that keep viewers coming back for the next installment. — Novika Ishar, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Under federal law, its enforcement powers are vested solely in the chairperson. — Savannah Peters, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 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