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 The next wave of successful launches will likely have a stronger sense of identity, functionality and recognizability, rather than relying purely on logo or heritage. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026 Student growth The state issues a letter grade to each school on an A through F scale, and while 80% of the grade is based purely on test scores, about 20% of the calculation is based on students’ year-over-year improvement. — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026 Any resemblance between the TikTok series and the real-life version of Chairman Tom Ricketts meeting his wife, Cece, in the bleachers is purely coincidental, a Cubs source said. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026 As if determined to start the Bob Chesney era on a purely positive note, UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk removed the athletic department’s most negative asset Monday, days before the Bruins football team opens its season at California. — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 1 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

Large cells show stronger durability The researchers said the findings point to electrochemical protocol design as a way to improve LMR battery stability without relying solely on changes to the battery materials themselves.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Hossain is careful not to place the blame for that pressure solely on men.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of solely

Adverb

Set the scene On rugged John’s Island 40 minutes outside of Charleston, Auberge’s Lowcountry debut deftly centers the coastal charm of the South Carolina sea islands—the second most bioactive habitat in the world, after only the Amazon Rainforest.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
Solar panels generate electricity only when sunlight is available, but power demand can remain high after sunset or rise sharply at other times of the day.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of only

Adverb

Most residual errors identified in recent evaluations fall into mild-to-moderate severity when the note gets properly reviewed.

— Pat Williams, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
And even a Disneyland classic such as Pirates of the Caribbean requires deep analytical reframing to properly understand it.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of properly

Adverb

François Arnaud is joining Mike Birbiglia‘s upcoming focus features comedy Old Friends New Friends, The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively learned.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
For the past 860,000 years, its shell has coiled almost exclusively to the right.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of exclusively

Adverb

Researchers want the reactor package to fit inside just two cubic meters.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
Put simply, Chinese EVs are just better than a lot of the competition, says Howard Yu, a professor of management and innovation at IMD Business School and codirector of the Future Readiness program, which evaluates global car manufacturers.

— Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

The main restaurant, simply called the Dining Room, received a lot of attention during the renovation.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
There is no compelling plotline to give the movie momentum, and there are slack moments when the set pieces simply don’t work.

— Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of simply

Browse Nearby Words

purees

purely

pureness

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Style

“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purely. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of purely

adverb

Example Sentences

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