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

The double white stripe, purely cosmetic on the 1964 car, now functions as an organizing design element that aligns the windshield-base grille and even continues onto the dashboard. — New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2026

Governance becomes critical; GEO cannot live purely inside SEO. — Vin Sonpal, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Parents should be informed participants in medical decisions, but communicable disease is not purely an individual matter. — Rob Long, Sun Sentinel, 22 Sep. 2026

Other oncologists see limitations to purely genetic diagnosis. — Arthur Allen, CBS News, 21 Sep. 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