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

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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 Held here in God’s presence, we each are seen as whole, supplied, loved, purely good, and entirely spiritual. Mark Swinney, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2026 These inter-species relationships are found throughout nature, but most of them develop out of purely practical reasons. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 July 2026 Those older predictions were not purely based on theory; they were also inferred from other experiments. Matt Von Hippel, Quanta Magazine, 29 July 2026 Of course, the motivation behind the shift isn’t purely economic. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for purely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purely
Adverb
  • Their amalgamation with the other color produces a degradation to which no lover of his country, no lover of excellence in the human character can innocently consent.
    Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
  • It was innocently posted by motorsports reporter Cole Cusumano, who was there covering the race.
    Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026
Adverb
  • Instead of relying solely on natural extracts, Reome works with biotech labs to recreate botanical molecules through processes like fermentation or plant cell cultures.
    Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • To home in on targets, Auterion’s software relies solely on the visual information available from the Shrike drone’s main onboard camera.
    Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
Adverb
  • Mundo Deportivo corroborates these key figures, while noting that Cancelo only has a year left on his contract at Al-Hilal.
    Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • And the actor believes there is a power in seeing only the before and aftermath of the killing.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Adverb
  • Few companies have the time and talent to properly address AI as an asset, liability and necessity, so a new breed of MSPs has emerged to meet the moment.
    James Loffler, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Two of the most exciting results, the experts say, incorporate preexisting ideas from the recent mathematical literature without properly citing them.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2026
Adverb
  • The singer and actress, 33, received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, while looking like a true rockstar in a grungy gown with tousled hair complemented by sleek and smokey makeup that exclusively used Maybelline New York products.
    Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
  • These products are almost exclusively in the realm of derivatives and serve retail investors next to no practical purposes, yet can be highly profitable to those issuing them in the transaction fees associated with them.
    Derek Horstmeyer, Fortune, 31 July 2026
Adverb
  • By chance, her parents and her sister had left the house just three days before the strike, because her mother couldn’t sleep.
    Ava Bambuck, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In the same way that London is more than just red buses, black cabs, and a rather large parliamentary clock, England is more than just the vigor of London.
    Katie Silcox, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2026
Adverb
  • 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
Adverb
  • For Moore, opening her own shop was never simply about owning a business.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
  • What ultimately doomed the plan was not simply opposition, but the breadth and speed of that opposition.
    Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purely. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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