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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in only
nothing more than her pleasantries were purely for show and masked her true feelings

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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 Judith Ivey as Bonnie and JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Maddie Townsend in episode 405 © 2025 Netflix, Inc. While some supporting characters are written off the canvas so an actor can pursue other roles, Anderson says that wasn’t the case here; Bill’s death was purely storyline dictated. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 6 Feb. 2025 Plug-in hybrids, once considered a potential alternative to a purely electric model, remained relatively stable. Calmatters, Orange County Register, 6 Feb. 2025 Non-conference games are purely up to schools to schedule, and the Hurricanes’ scheduling agreements with teams like Florida and South Florida all have Miami playing at home this year. Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2025 For now, however, Evans and Worton are purely concerned with getting the giants on their feet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for purely 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purely
Adverb
  • Sibyl is another stop; this industrial-style art gallery, with six-week exhibits, solely features emerging artists.
    Jenny Adams, AFAR Media, 11 Feb. 2025
  • The company plans to finish manufacturing its remaining 15 Atlas V rockets within a few months, allowing the factory in Decatur, Alabama, to focus solely on producing Vulcan launch vehicles.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 11 Feb. 2025
Adverb
  • Or does so only briefly in the ambiguous ending, when Sofia throws off the last vestiges of her passivity and forces her recalcitrant mother into a reckoning with her condition.
    David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
  • This collection not only showcases his exceptional skills as a composer and producer but also signifies a transformative phase in his evolving musical career.
    Ingrid Fajardo, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2025
Adverb
  • It is believed that the jet's landing gear failed to deploy properly upon touchdown, according to a preliminary investigation.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
  • But before the space telescope could begin its survey of the universe, scientists had to ensure everything onboard was working properly.
    Greg Wehner, Fox News, 11 Feb. 2025
Adverb
  • This story has been updated to remove reference exclusively to the King James Bible.
    Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 7 Feb. 2025
  • For the first time, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is hosting an exhibit focused exclusively on charrería events.
    Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 6 Feb. 2025
Adverb
  • It should be noted that the Razorbacks made 13 of 18 free throws while the Longhorns were just 2 of 3.
    Wally Hall, arkansasonline.com, 7 Feb. 2025
  • The Education Department is a relatively small government agency, with just over 4,000 employees and a US$268 billion annual budget.
    Alex Hinton, The Conversation, 7 Feb. 2025
Adverb
  • Getting the look is easy—simply outline the window with string lights, using clear hooks or nails to keep them in place.
    Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2025
  • Over time, the series transformed into what was known as the Busch Grand National Series in 1982 and later simply the Busch Series from 1984 until 2007.
    Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
Adverb
  • Getting traded, per his request, seems a more realistic exit plan than three years ago, when a March trade request was merely a step toward a contract extension in training camp (three years, $72 million).
    Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2025
  • To merely dismiss the Sazerac as yet another Old Fashioned variation is to miss its charms.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near purely

Cite this Entry

“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purely. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

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