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
That was four-minute behavior, and wholly appropriate.
—
Mike Sando, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Paired with a Dolce & Gabbana velvet tuxedo worn with a wool turtleneck and Bruno Magli shoes, his Glashutte Original Sixties timepiece is a wholly traditional choice.
—Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 12 Jan. 2026
Influenced by her Indian heritage, Japanese craft philosophy, and the traditions of Shetland knitting, her work is highly distinctive and also wholly wearable; David and I stroked scarves, asymmetric wraps, and sweaters with yearning.
—Sarah Moss, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026
The Peychaud’s Bitters, all cherry and anise as opposed to Angostura Bitters’ cinnamon and clove, combines with the herbal pop of absinthe and the spicy backbone of the rye to create something wholly new.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wholly
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Mike Sando, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Paired with a Dolce & Gabbana velvet tuxedo worn with a wool turtleneck and Bruno Magli shoes, his Glashutte Original Sixties timepiece is a wholly traditional choice.
—Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 12 Jan. 2026
Influenced by her Indian heritage, Japanese craft philosophy, and the traditions of Shetland knitting, her work is highly distinctive and also wholly wearable; David and I stroked scarves, asymmetric wraps, and sweaters with yearning.
—Sarah Moss, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026
The Peychaud’s Bitters, all cherry and anise as opposed to Angostura Bitters’ cinnamon and clove, combines with the herbal pop of absinthe and the spicy backbone of the rye to create something wholly new.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 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 15 Jan. 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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