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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
While the short-term path of stocks is always unknown and subject to human emotion, the evidence unmistakably shows that investors should not make investment decisions based solely on their political beliefs. Bill Stone, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024 This 'flat average' is based solely on polls from the last 28 days for national and state polls. David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024 The 19-page suit, which accuses CBS of unlawfully interfering in the election to help get Harris elected, is solely based on the network airing two different portions of Harris’ answer to the same question. Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2024 Editor’s picks The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time Eventually, BioWare ditched the multiplayer aspects to focus solely on creating a single-player experience, aiming to meet the lofty expectations of the fandom. George Yang, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for solely 

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 9 Nov. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on solely

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