WHOLLY Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

wholly

adverb

ˈhō(l)-lē

Definition of wholly

as in completely

to a full extent or degree not wholly convinced by the evidence that the prosecutor presented

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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 wholly The rules were altered in 2004 at the urging of Algeria, which was struggling to field a competitive national team with wholly domestic players and saw dozens of better prospects from the diaspora living in France. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 July 2026 That power is not wholly spent, nor wholly eclipsed, by anti-democratic forces. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 3 July 2026 Which brings us to the second – 20th- and 21st-century – level of Wuthering Heights’ wholly justified fame. — Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 Her advice felt wholly new at the time. — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wholly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wholly

Adverb

Communists want to end capitalism and replace it with a system where almost all private property is outlawed and the economy is completely run by the state.

— Franco Ordoñez, NPR, 10 July 2026
The north offers something completely different to the south.

— Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026

Definition of completely

Adverb

The man behind the wheel overrode driver-assistance features and fully pressed the car’s accelerator, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

— Faiz Siddiqui, Washington Post, 17 July 2026
However, they are not banded, so their activity will not be fully tracked.

— Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 July 2026

Definition of fully

Adverb

Bond has always been an intriguing vessel; by design, the spy is detached and isolated, a character who can disappear into the shadows and emerge totally fixated on a new mission with his past loves and losses brushed off with ease.

— Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 10 July 2026
There’s something powerful about pairing a hundred-year-old heritage object with something that feels totally of-the-moment.

— Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 9 July 2026

Definition of totally

Adverb

Their semi-final against France is an utterly tantalising prospect; a classic clash of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.

— Tim Spiers, New York Times, 12 July 2026
And in that regard, Ferrari has utterly outdone itself, especially following the Luce EV debacle.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 July 2026

Definition of utterly

Adverb

The stakes for new avatar don’t feel quite as high—the specific circumstances around the former was a perfect storm that'll be tough to duplicate—but the music isn’t any less potent for it.

— Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026
SpaceX tried to launch the Starship megarocket on its 13th test flight today but couldn't quite pull it off.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 July 2026

Definition of quite

Adverb

The set up is fairly basic but perfectly presentable and for families, the functionality will be much more welcome than fancy tech, especially the small balcony/patio, dining table and kitchenette in the slightly larger rooms.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
So, how could a raccoon, an animal that evolved over hundreds of millions of years to adapt itself perfectly to swampy forests, find such runaway success living amid the most destructive and systematically ruthless species ever to exist?

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026

Definition of perfectly

Adverb

And Harleys has entirely redesigned the rear -suspension and increased its travel 117 per cent to five inches (13 cm).

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026
The possibility of disruptions to oil flows via the Strait of Hormuz, however, might not entirely be discounted, which could complicate energy supply calculus.

— Justina Lee, CNBC, 6 July 2026

Definition of entirely

Adverb

Bellingham deserves a mention, too; his tireless running in-behind defences has created space for Kane all through the tournament, while his colossal defensive efforts have helped to maintain balance across the team.

— Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Instead of building parts one layer at a time, the system hardens the printing material all at once, producing seamless structures.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026

Definition of all

Browse Nearby Words

whole-souled

wholly

whomp

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“Wholly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wholly. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of wholly

adverb

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