1
: to the full or entire extent : completely
a wholly owned subsidiary
2
: to the exclusion of other things : solely
a book dealing wholly with herbs
Examples of wholly in a Sentence
She is wholly devoted to her children.
An infant is wholly dependent on its mother.
The claim is wholly without merit.
Recent Examples on the Web
He’s read a few books on the subject, but he’s also discovered—as all risk-takers eventually do—that practice and game day are two wholly different animals.
—
Levi King, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Narrating what happened with the boy in the autopsy room turned out to be wholly different from experiencing it; the riptide shock of that moment slowed to a largo of painful excavation.
—Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
For example, Rock League will have a traveling schedule and will be wholly owned at the start before looking to sell franchises to individual investors, two things done by sailing circuit SailGP.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 5 June 2025
With a voice wholly unique in its style, Mrjoian weaves a powerful tapestry of survival, identity, and resilience…[a] rare great novel….Mrjoian is able to find the beauty in the brutality of this history, and in the unyielding spirit of family.
—Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for wholly
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Levi King, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Narrating what happened with the boy in the autopsy room turned out to be wholly different from experiencing it; the riptide shock of that moment slowed to a largo of painful excavation.
—Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
For example, Rock League will have a traveling schedule and will be wholly owned at the start before looking to sell franchises to individual investors, two things done by sailing circuit SailGP.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 5 June 2025
With a voice wholly unique in its style, Mrjoian weaves a powerful tapestry of survival, identity, and resilience…[a] rare great novel….Mrjoian is able to find the beauty in the brutality of this history, and in the unyielding spirit of family.
—Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for wholly
Cite this Entry
“Wholly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wholly. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wholly
adverb
whol·ly
ˈhōl-(l)ē 
1
: to the full or entire extent : completely
a wholly different view
2
: to the exclusion of other things : solely
a book devoted wholly to sports cars
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