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

• 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

All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. —Tony Zhang, CNBC, 25 June 2025

The Iranian people look neither to the past nor the current status quo but forward—to a free and democratic future, where legitimacy derives solely from the ballot box. —Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025

Admissions officers can clearly identify a student who has applied to a major solely because of its higher admissions rate. —Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025

But thinking of the future of American foreign policy solely in terms of the post-Trump inheritance runs the risk of being overly reactive or reflexively restorationist. —Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025

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