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

The lawsuit also sought to block roving patrols making stops and arrests based solely on race, language and occupation, and to protect access to counsel rights for people in detention. — Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026

Harlequin launched as an imprint solely for these novels, often targeting housewives who could purchase titles at their grocery stores. — Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026

Walking into a room of strangers solely because you are supposed to meet people can feel awkward. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026

That model is open source, serves solely to retrieve documents, and does not provide complex reasoning or send government data to Alibaba or any third parties. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 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