1
: to the exclusion of all else
done solely for money
2
: without another : singly
went solely on her way
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
The ruling is related solely to the civil lawsuits that were brought against Trump in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack, and not special counsel Jack Smith's federal criminal case that is set for trial in March.
—
Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 1 Dec. 2023
The MonsterVerse is guilty of this with its rotating cast of paper-thin characters elevated solely by the sheer charisma of its actors.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 30 Nov. 2023
An example of this is a manager who focuses solely on short-term goals and neglects the long-term professional growth of their team members, resulting in a lack of skill development and career progression opportunities within the team.
—Joseph Folkman, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
The final season covers the years 1997-2005; however, part one took place solely in 1997, in the two months leading up to and the week after Diana’s fatal car crash.
—Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2023
On the first, the UAE has established the first university dedicated solely to AI, the Mohammed bin Zayed University of AI.
—Alan Murray, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2023
In late 2014, the Egyptian Defense Ministry hired Aslanian to handle a real estate transaction in New Jersey — the purchase of a residential annex for Egyptian diplomats — based solely on Hana’s recommendation, Aslanian said.
—Marina Dias, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023
With a wide edge in national and early-state polls, the former president is running effectively as an incumbent, with legions of supporters prepared to vote solely for him.
—Rebecca Davis O’Brien, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023
Those types of mandates happen solely at the state and local levels.
—Sarah Cottrell, Parents, 17 Nov. 2023
See More
Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 1 Dec. 2023
The MonsterVerse is guilty of this with its rotating cast of paper-thin characters elevated solely by the sheer charisma of its actors.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 30 Nov. 2023
An example of this is a manager who focuses solely on short-term goals and neglects the long-term professional growth of their team members, resulting in a lack of skill development and career progression opportunities within the team.
—Joseph Folkman, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
The final season covers the years 1997-2005; however, part one took place solely in 1997, in the two months leading up to and the week after Diana’s fatal car crash.
—Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2023
On the first, the UAE has established the first university dedicated solely to AI, the Mohammed bin Zayed University of AI.
—Alan Murray, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2023
In late 2014, the Egyptian Defense Ministry hired Aslanian to handle a real estate transaction in New Jersey — the purchase of a residential annex for Egyptian diplomats — based solely on Hana’s recommendation, Aslanian said.
—Marina Dias, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023
With a wide edge in national and early-state polls, the former president is running effectively as an incumbent, with legions of supporters prepared to vote solely for him.
—Rebecca Davis O’Brien, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023
Those types of mandates happen solely at the state and local levels.
—Sarah Cottrell, Parents, 17 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'solely.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of solely was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near solely
Cite this Entry
“Solely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solely. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
solely
adverb
sole·ly
ˈsō(l)-lē 
2
: only entry 2 sense 1a
done solely for money
More from Merriam-Webster on solely
Nglish: Translation of solely for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of solely for Arabic Speakers
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