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
Annie, whose time alone in the Jungle Room has left her paranoid, if not wholly feral, initially hides from this all-male crew.
—
Judy Berman, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
But with the Heat again closer to whole, Wiggins finds himself in a wholly different role than at the start of the season, with Norman Powell and Tyler Herro now both in place.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2026
As scientists have come to realize, the samples aren’t wholly representative of the wildly diverse moon, Andrews-Hanna said.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
The gift lies in being wholly present in the moment, whether with family, friends, or a commitment, without the shadow of the next board meeting looming.
—Nia Bowers, Ascend Agency, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wholly
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Judy Berman, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
But with the Heat again closer to whole, Wiggins finds himself in a wholly different role than at the start of the season, with Norman Powell and Tyler Herro now both in place.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2026
As scientists have come to realize, the samples aren’t wholly representative of the wildly diverse moon, Andrews-Hanna said.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
The gift lies in being wholly present in the moment, whether with family, friends, or a commitment, without the shadow of the next board meeting looming.
—Nia Bowers, Ascend Agency, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wholly
Cite this Entry
“Wholly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wholly. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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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