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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of purely
The Escalade and Navigator are also almost purely expressions of the American market, in that no other car market outside of China buys full-size luxury SUVs in great numbers.
—
Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 9 Jan. 2026
But, from a purely strategical standpoint, neither dateline had previously been associated with anything at the forefront of the sport, which speaks to the seismic shift.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
The analysis of local wastewater has not been a purely local endeavor.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
The latter event is purely ceremonial and marks the beginning of a parliamentary session, which cannot begin until the monarch gives his or her speech.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purely
Adverb
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His friend had innocently landed on that scene.—
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In a thriller, the suspense is built around a challenge posed to the protagonist — the last big score before retiring, being innocently accused of a crime or accidentally getting involved in something dangerous and deadly.—
Adverb
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Savard wasn’t solely to blame for the woes of the power play before that, but his dismissal seemed to release some tension.—
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Taken together, the findings suggest that fewer Americans may be drinking, but those who do may not be cutting back as dramatically as surveys focused solely on participation imply.—
Adverb
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Not only is her delivery hilarious, but having Forest Whitaker’s daughter play an unabashed Hollywood nepo baby is a sly bit of meta casting that pays off big time here.—
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The novel draws on the harrowing testimony of survivors and asks questions not only about the conflicting goals of justice, truth and reconciliation, but also about how one lives with the knowledge of crimes against humanity.—
Adverb
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This timing is meant to ensure the pill absorbs properly, McCoy explained.—
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Keep in mind that firm menstrual cups are more likely to open properly after being inserted.—
Adverb
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The shooting is being investigated by the FBI exclusively.—
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The actress also reflected on her role ahead of the 50th anniversary while speaking exclusively to Entertainment Weekly in February 2025.—
Adverb
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Residents near the park, located off David Drive in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood, said they were awakened just before midnight by gunfire and emergency sirens.—
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Designed to bridge the gap between automotive ease and aerospace innovation, the vehicle targets consumers looking for adventure rather than just urban commuting.—
Adverb
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Now all that’s left is to simply build upon his turnaround.—
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Alcohol license holders are simply bound by city and county laws as well.—
Adverb
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At West Ham, Nuno has aligned himself with a club where the problems run so much deeper than merely trying to prevent the chilly fingers of relegation from closing round their neck.—
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But Huddleston disagreed, saying the charter governs spending money but doesn’t apply to merely appropriating it.—
Cite this Entry
“Purely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purely. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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