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 That’s because few people move solely for a tax break, says Barbara Goodstein, another managing partner in R360’s New York office. Byalicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Lewis — consciously or not, solely or not, maybe just as a sign of the times — succeeded in getting Oppenheimer canceled. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024 Now, nearly five years after former acting city auditor Kyle Elser began lobbying for his own attorney in cases that presented potential conflicts of interest, San Diego voters have granted that office the authority to retain its own legal counsel, rather than rely solely on the city attorney. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 Her departure clears Trump to focus solely on his likely rematch in November with Biden. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2024 Holding a person based solely on an ICE detainer constitutes a warrantless arrest. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2024 Sentiments focused on spreading LGBTQ+ inclusion and joy not solely within the community, but universally are genuinely heartening and ultimately the authentic grounding force to the more fantastical elements. Courtney Howard, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 The Chronicle is solely responsible for the content. Alex Daniels Of The Chronicle Of Philanthropy, Chronicle Of Philanthropy, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 Unfortunately, existing security approaches that focus solely on prevention are failing to stop this spread or are poorly mitigating the impact of these attacks, causing major disruptions to business operations. Brian Spanswick, Forbes, 29 Feb. 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 19 Mar. 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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