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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
But the project is not conceived as purely political satire.
—
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Brushing past a pot of rosemary on the way to the grill, or snipping mint for a drink, makes the garden feel personal in a way that purely ornamental plantings cannot.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
No Labels’ deeper fear isn’t purely economic.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
Any prices or levels shown are either historical or purely indicative.
—Katie Stockton, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purely
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Brushing past a pot of rosemary on the way to the grill, or snipping mint for a drink, makes the garden feel personal in a way that purely ornamental plantings cannot.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
No Labels’ deeper fear isn’t purely economic.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
Any prices or levels shown are either historical or purely indicative.
—Katie Stockton, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purely
Adverb
-
Her pictures, which start innocently enough from the puppy-dog idea, get increasingly demeaning.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
-
After innocently coming up in the scene by posting songs on Soundcloud, Slayyyter finally signed to a major label last year.—
Selena Fragassi,
SPIN,
1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, or its parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium.—
Jeff Kilburg,
CNBC,
1 May 2026
-
Readers should not rely solely on the content of this article and are encouraged to seek professional advice tailored to their specific circumstances.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Adverb
-
Orlando got just 85 yards on the ground, but that was after the Storm had only gained 10 rushing yards in the first half.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
-
These standards are not only more functional, but reduce the night sky glow, are more energy efficient, reduce wildlife impacts and contribute to better health.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Armed federal agents broke down the door while executing a warrant for someone else, and rounded up the people inside without properly determining whether Juan was a flight risk or a danger to the community, said Lear, his immigration attorney.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Ahead, garden experts discuss the reasons why soap can effectively deter deer and offer guidance on how to use it properly.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
26 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
In pictures exclusively obtained by the New York Post and published via Page Six, Vrabel and Russini were spotted together inside a bar in March 2020.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
His plan, released exclusively to Fox News, would leave Tampa Bay without any Democratic seats, and reduce the number of left-leaning districts in South Florida.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
When the king talked about his Christian faith, GOP lawmakers were rowdier than Democrats, many of whom offered just tepid applause.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Then, not only that, just to be able to cash in, that’s like the next step there.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Some of the most beautiful nights of my life have been spent under the stars watching a meteor shower, comet or simply a dazzling Milky Way.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
If tension rises, restate your point simply.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Even with Portland’s 3-1 deficit against San Antonio, merely getting to the postseason was widely seen as a success for this group.—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
However, the explosion was merely the beginning.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purely. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
