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 However, Princeton University ended up being targeted this week purely due to the results of its research. John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2025 The study was also purely behavioral and observational; the scientists propose that the mechanism involves the motor areas and the auditory dorsal pathway, but that remains a theory until brain imaging can support the findings. New Atlas, 9 Apr. 2025 The Evo uses the same type of film for prints but is fundamentally a different experience in use and doesn't have the same purely analog character as the Mini 41. PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025 The next few years could see a resurgence of domestic manufacturing and an increase in local investments, but those predictions are purely speculative. John Ganem, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for purely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purely
Adverb
  • Diversify This idea is very similar to freelancing, but takes it a step further: why not diversify your skill set and your revenue streams instead of depending solely on one or even two sources (your job and your freelance business)?
    Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Blanketing our communities with descriptions that focus solely on crime is dishonest and hinders our efforts to achieve peace, especially those of us who have survived the unthinkable loss of a loved one to murder.
    Clementina Chery, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • The use of the legislative fund needs approval only from legislative leaders.
    Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 15 Apr. 2025
  • This deeper level of engagement not only informs new office designs but can increases employees’ sense of ownership of it.
    Ryan Anderson, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration’s attempt to end DACA was not done properly.
    Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • But division one has to properly fund division two.
    Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • In this guide, the term blow-dry brush is exclusively used for devices that blow hot air out of the bristles onto wet hair to dry and style your hair.
    Nena Farrell, Wired News, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Last September, Deadline exclusively announced that Elordi and Robbie were tapped to star in Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, from MRC and LuckyChap.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • By episode 2, the former Fireflies make it to an area just outside Jackson and see how heavily fortified the city is.
    Eliana Dockterman, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
  • But the Heat then scored just 21 points while shooting 1 of 6 (16.7 percent) on threes in the fourth quarter.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • In other words, if the economy is in a recession or sliding into one, the Fed presumably will lower rates but not if inflation has spiked and the economy is simply losing steam.
    Paul Davidson, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • This is chocolate as extension of lifestyle—designed not simply to be consumed, but admired, gifted, and documented.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • Rather than merely illustrating corporate omnipotence, Vara exposes the fragility of the technology itself: a nonhuman force that still depends on humanity—and is unable to encompass it.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The banking industry strongly opposed the Biden rule, which would cap overdraft fees at just $5 for banks and financial institutions with more than $10 billion in assets unless the institutions opt for a fee that merely covers their own costs or treat the overdraft payment as a loan.
    Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purely. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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