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
Even lower estimates indicate the massacres were wholly unprecedented in their scale and ferocity than some of the most infamous protest massacres of modern times.
—
Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The family film’s logline is currently under wraps but will be a wholly original adventure based on the beloved children’s book series written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
The anthology isn't restricted by the main series canon — instead, each episode tells a wholly original story while drawing from the ideas, designs, and sounds that make Star Wars so unique.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Jan. 2026
Assisted by the low, somber strings of Oliver Coates’ score and the clean, crisp brightness of Judith Kaufmann’s lensing, Volpe directs with much the same simplicity and moderation, toward a pitch-perfect ending of wholly disarming terseness and economy.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wholly
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Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The family film’s logline is currently under wraps but will be a wholly original adventure based on the beloved children’s book series written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
The anthology isn't restricted by the main series canon — instead, each episode tells a wholly original story while drawing from the ideas, designs, and sounds that make Star Wars so unique.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Jan. 2026
Assisted by the low, somber strings of Oliver Coates’ score and the clean, crisp brightness of Judith Kaufmann’s lensing, Volpe directs with much the same simplicity and moderation, toward a pitch-perfect ending of wholly disarming terseness and economy.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 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 28 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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