Definition of purelynext
1
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

2
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

3
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 But the project is not conceived as purely political satire. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026 Brushing past a pot of rosemary on the way to the grill, or snipping mint for a drink, makes the garden feel personal in a way that purely ornamental plantings cannot. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026 No Labels’ deeper fear isn’t purely economic. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026 Any prices or levels shown are either historical or purely indicative. Katie Stockton, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purely
Adverb
  • Her pictures, which start innocently enough from the puppy-dog idea, get increasingly demeaning.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026
  • After innocently coming up in the scene by posting songs on Soundcloud, Slayyyter finally signed to a major label last year.
    Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, or its parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium.
    Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 1 May 2026
  • Readers should not rely solely on the content of this article and are encouraged to seek professional advice tailored to their specific circumstances.
    Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Adverb
  • The dirt-only diamond was loamy and soft and home plate was totally submerged in a muddy puddle, a tributary of which also snaked down the third-base line.
    Chang-rae Lee, New Yorker, 3 May 2026
  • Regretfully, locally foxgloves only last through spring and early summer before succumbing to the heat and humidity of the hot months.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
Adverb
  • People dispense advice to our heroine of the kind that one encounters in stories properly poised on the cusp of life.
    James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert, whose staff oversees the cases of more than 600 adults under guardianship and has helped champion the bill, said face-to-face meetings are standard practice in his office prior to appointment and are crucial to properly assessing the person’s needs.
    Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Adverb
  • Thibaudeau is a believer that longevity doesn’t need to be a term exclusively for those who can afford costly hacks and the time to implement rigid routines.
    Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 4 May 2026
  • Where to watch Met Gala 2026 red carpet The 2026 Met Gala livestream will be hosted exclusively by Vogue, both on its official website and across its various digital platforms (including YouTube and TikTok).
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Adverb
  • When the king talked about his Christian faith, GOP lawmakers were rowdier than Democrats, many of whom offered just tepid applause.
    Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Then, not only that, just to be able to cash in, that’s like the next step there.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Speak simply, and let your honesty keep things moving forward smoothly while staying curious and open.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
  • The ones who do not should not be able to simply walk out the door and call it retirement.
    Nick Weston, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
Adverb
  • Gallup finds that Americans are now nearly evenly split on whether the American Dream is fundamentally about opportunity — the ability to improve your life through education and better work — or stability, merely being able to hold a family together with a job and a safe place to live.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 May 2026
  • Gerrymanders that discriminate against Black voters could be justified today as merely offering partisan advantage to Republicans.
    Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purely. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on purely

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster