PURELY Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

purely

adverb

ˈpyu̇r-lē

Definition of purely

as in innocently

with purity of thought and deed the devout girl vowed to live her life purely and in the service of God

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in solely

for nothing other than I fish purely for the fun of it—I don't care if I end up with no fish to fry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in only

nothing more than her pleasantries were purely for show and masked her true feelings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of purely That review was based purely on issues of groundwater protection, drainage and similar technical concerns. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 15 Sep. 2026 Mixing meaningful keepsakes with purely decorative objects can create a display that feels sweet and personal without feeling overly curated. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2026 Most Popular Even as purely vegan menus became more untenable, the vegetable’s steady rise laid the groundwork. — Joel Hart, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2026 Rather than treating the subject purely as an environmental story, the filmmakers tie it to livelihoods, food security, migration, development, weaponization, corporatization and the future of ecosystems and communities. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purely

Recent Examples of Synonyms for purely

Adverb

Widowed and nearing 60, Tony enjoys a quiet but contented routine, suddenly injected with anxiety when, during the school day, one of his young pupils innocently notes that his right hand looks frozen.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
Homer, of course, is perhaps the most lovable dimwit ever created, and his dynamic with Bart — the quick-to-anger suburban dad, the innocently mischievous adolescent son — is pure Americana.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of innocently

Adverb

For brands, the extent and pace of their growth are therefore no longer determined solely by the pace of store openings, but by their ability to become part of consumers’ everyday lives and build meaningful connections with local markets.

— Advertorial, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2026
With no eyewitness or traces of blood connecting her to the crime, the prosecution’s case relied solely on circumstantial evidence.

— Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of solely

Adverb

Trump is hosting Xi in Washington this week as their economic and tech competition is only escalating, especially through an artificial intelligence race.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
These figures will only grow as ASEAN’s middle class comes into its own.

— Jon M. Huntsman, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of only

Adverb

Adults can receive a $250 ticket for failing to properly restrain a child.

— Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
He was accused of not providing food or medications to Maier for multiple days before his death and not properly following the prison's policy for documenting a hunger strike.

— Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of properly

Adverb

The company exclusively used battery raw materials recovered from its own high-voltage batteries.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
Kelela began working on the album — produced almost exclusively by Oscar Scheller, who has worked with PinkPantheress and Lily Allen — in Los Angeles.

— Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of exclusively

Adverb

The backstory For most of my life, the Old Dutch Inn has been just a faint memory of kicking my legs from a bar stool, drinking a Shirley Temple next to my late grandmother, who would likely have been nursing a gin and tonic.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
This is on top of Perez Hilton and plenty of other sites (Gawker included) that would just flat-out insult people, draw nasty things on their pictures, and just generally malign them.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

The goal was never simply tourism revenue, but creating culturally safe employment for Ahousaht members, welcoming outsiders into the Nation’s 250,000-hectare territory, and reasserting presence on land their people were historically displaced from.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2026
Taken together, the announcements show Meta moving beyond the idea of glasses as simply VR or camera devices.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of simply

Browse Nearby Words

purees

purely

pureness

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“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purely. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of purely

adverb

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