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 Furthermore, if a Republican justice retires should Democrats win the Senate, the move will almost certainly be viewed as purely partisan. — The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 At Moontrail, creative direction, storytelling, emotional decisions and artistic judgment remain purely human responsibilities. — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 Markets like Australia miss out on the mechanical lift entirely, receiving a purely cosmetic styling package. — New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026 Everyone pretends the films were chosen purely on merit, but the slate often reads Hollywood with a lanyard and a conscience. — Joseph Kahn, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purely

Recent Examples of Synonyms for purely

Adverb

His ideas align with Hinton’s, and by 2013 the two of them—along with a third partner, Fedor Fedotov’s Alex Krizhevsky—find themselves at Google, innocently pursuing their research.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
The scoring started innocently enough, Stockton marching the team 79 yards on an 11-play workmanlike touchdown drive.

— Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of innocently

Adverb

Rather than relying solely on better control software, the team is investigating whether designing the robot’s mass, inertia, and force characteristics differently can make complex movements easier to achieve.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Firms do not apply or pay to be considered, and inclusion and ranking are based solely on the list's methodology.

— Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of solely

Adverb

Brought to Spain, the Colombian prostitutes are required to work off a debt run up by not only the airfare but much more.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Moncler was founded in 1952 in Monestier-de-Clermont, and the mountains are not only the brand’s physical birthplace, but are also symbolic of its goal to aim higher, Ruffini has often said.

— Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of only

Adverb

In one scene, a padlock appears to lock without a key or even being properly closed.

— Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
For this leaner, meaner Deafheaven, stylistic variety takes a backseat to speed and chaos, and when properly executed, subtle melodic or rhythmic tweaks wield the heft of the more tectonic transitions in the band’s defining songs.

— Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of properly

Adverb

His report shattered the notion that serious fine wine belonged exclusively to Europe and put Napa Valley on the global map.

— Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
The Benton show focuses mostly on Pusey’s prints, drawing exclusively from the collection of Ian White, artist, educator and son of esteemed artist Charles White.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of exclusively

Adverb

The questions came after Zacharia made a brief debut to the media on Tuesday, taking just three questions from reporters after reading off a script.

— Michael Birnbaum The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
Genetic comparisons revealed that deep-sea viral communities in the region are almost entirely unique, with just 4 percent of their protein clusters matching global databases.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

The solution is a lot of morphine and a lot of rest, both of which Cathy undertakes with Adam constantly (and chastely) by her side.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Take The Music Lesson, a study of a young woman playing the virginal, closely watched by a gentleman, which Graham-Dixon reads as a depiction of Collegiants chastely performing and singing psalms.

— Clare Bucknell, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026

Definition of chastely

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 17 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of purely

adverb

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