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 While Workers United maintains that the recent string of protests around the country are purely demonstrative, Freed for one is ready to put that practice to use if necessary. Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 2 Oct. 2025 On the more purely pop side, Man’s Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter (the only member of the class of 2024 to return with a new LP this go-round) and Justin Bieber’s Swag seem poised for album of the year nods. Alan Light, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025 Before Goodall's discovery, the use of tools was thought to be a purely human behavior. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025 At a certain point, the discussion and decision becomes purely economical. Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for purely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purely
Adverb
  • In a thriller, the suspense is built around a challenge posed to the protagonist — the last big score before retiring, being innocently accused of a crime or accidentally getting involved in something dangerous and deadly.
    Anders de la Motte, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
  • That play started innocently enough.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • So, while firing a worker solely for a statement or a belief may be shortsighted, companies can and will take action when employee behavior erodes trust, respect, or collaboration.
    Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Their 7-3 win over the Cubs in Game 2 of the other NLDS matchup was powered solely by three monster home runs.
    Chris Branch, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Social media spaces are increasingly closed and personalized; where random Twitter figures could bring their ideas to the president in 2018, now only the most manic — Loomer, the MAGA legal figure Mike Davis — cut through, and benefit.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Numbers provided by Cincinnati Public Schools show that the school district had 4,326 homeless students last year, representing a 77% increase from a decade prior, despite total student enrollment increasing by only 538 students over the same period of time.
    Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • The most exciting feature is the realistic mask, though, which has mesh eyes for kids to see through while trick-or-treating, and an adjustable strap to fit their head properly.
    Katrina Cossey, Parents, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Excess moisture will cause quicker spoilage or keep them from browning properly.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • Over 30 restaurants are participating, offering limited-time discounts and new dishes served exclusively during the event.
    Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Variety has learned exclusively that Mattel has teamed with Amazon MGM Studios to develop a live-action series based on the Shani doll line originally introduced in the 1990s.
    Joe Otterson, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • After hours, a barista will usher you into Say Less Speakeasy, a lofty bar and lounge hidden behind an unassuming bookshelf just past the café register.
    Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Other parts of the country are nearing their peak, like northeastern Washington, central Oregon, eastern Montana, most of North Dakota, just over half of Michigan, as well as a large portion of Upstate New York.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Acting like a child in the locker room and not even facing reporters postgame is simply unacceptable.
    Drew VonScio, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The Kindle Scribe has always been about focusing on reading and writing without distractions, and this update simply enhances that experience without getting off track and adding fluff.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Redfin also committed to staying out of the multifamily advertising market for up to nine years and reduce its role to merely syndicating Zillow's listings, making Redfin's sites virtually identical to Zillow's.
    Luke Fountain, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The Big Bang, first named such in 1949, no longer means an initial event that created our Universe, but merely the hot, dense, expanding aftermath of the end of cosmic inflation.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purely. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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