purely

adverb

pure·​ly ˈpyu̇r-lē 

1

a

: to a full extent : totally

purely by accident

b

: wholly, exclusively

a selection based purely on merit

2

: without admixture of anything injurious or foreign

3

: simply, merely

read purely for relaxation

4

: in a chaste or innocent manner

Synonyms of purely

• innocently
• properly
• chastely
• morally

Examples of purely in a Sentence

They met purely by accident.

a selection based purely on merit

The organization's mission, purely and simply, is to provide food to people who need it.

It was purely and simply a matter of greed.

Recent Examples on the Web

Her love of the game and drive to improve was coming purely from within. —Charles Baggarly april 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Apr. 2026

One Emirati said people in the UAE want their military to impose a cost on Iran and are no longer satisfied with a purely defensive posture. —Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026

This allows the solution to blend into various architectural styles rather than appearing purely functional. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026

With the conflict now into its second month and the number of purely military targets much reduced, the economic toll is likely to rise. —Tim Lister, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for purely

• demurely
• maturely
• obscurely
• securely
• insecurely
• prematurely
• surely

Kids Definition

purely

adverb

pure·​ly ˈpyu̇(ə)r-lē 

1

: to the full or entire extent

2

: without the addition of anything harmful or different

3

: for no other reason than : only

done purely for fun

4

: in an innocent manner