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
But as other discussions continue out of the limelight, business leaders who focus solely on the news headlines risk missing important signals about the future of work, technology and enterprise.
—
Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Long Intel and own this spread All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, or its parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium.
—Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
All of her work and coverage decisions are overseen solely by Journal Sentinel editors.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Tesla’s technology relies solely on cameras and machine learning, a system some safety advocates say is not sufficient even under normal driving conditions.
—Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for solely
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Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Long Intel and own this spread All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, or its parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium.
—Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
All of her work and coverage decisions are overseen solely by Journal Sentinel editors.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Tesla’s technology relies solely on cameras and machine learning, a system some safety advocates say is not sufficient even under normal driving conditions.
—Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for solely
Cite this Entry
“Solely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solely. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
solely
adverb
sole·ly
ˈsō(l)-lē 
2
: only entry 2 sense 1a
done solely for money
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