solely

adverb

sole·​ly ˈsō(l)-lē How to pronounce solely (audio)
1
: to the exclusion of all else
done solely for money
2
: without another : singly
went solely on her way

Examples of solely in a Sentence

His rank was based solely on merit. You will be held solely responsible for any damage. She did not write solely for money.
Recent Examples on the Web According to the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009, most financial institutions require credit card applicants to the 21 years old to open a credit card alone and solely name as Bankrate points out. Essence, 4 Apr. 2024 Commenting on or taking concrete action based solely on employee sentiments can be risky and bring about unintended consequences. Sander Van 't Noordende, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024 Just 8 percent focus solely on LGBTQ lives and topics. Clara Ence Morse, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024 Commissioner Pamela Beasley-Pittman agreed with Herbst that the issue isn’t solely a Fort Lauderdale problem and that the city should be in conversation with Broward County officials. Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024 In addition, Alta has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 195,000 ordinary shares solely to cover over-allotments, if any, at the initial public offering price, less the underwriting discount. Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024 The fourth installment, which arrived after an 18-year gap and was the first to be directed solely by Lana, was a massive box office disappointment. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024 According to the complaint, the indictment was based solely on Barrera's examination of reports from the hospital. USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024 Currently, the framework of real estate solely emphasizes the buy and sell transaction, said John Bodrozic, co-founder of HomeZada, a real estate tech company. John Towfighi, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'solely.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of solely was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near solely

Cite this Entry

“Solely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solely. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

solely

adverb
sole·​ly ˈsō(l)-lē How to pronounce solely (audio)
1
: without another : singly, alone
2
: only entry 2 sense 1a
done solely for money

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