solely

adverb

sole·​ly ˈsō(l)-lē How to pronounce solely (audio)
Synonyms of solely
1
: to the exclusion of all else
done solely for money
2
: without another : singly
went solely on her way

Synonyms of solely

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
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.
Instead of relying solely on natural extracts, Reome works with biotech labs to recreate botanical molecules through processes like fermentation or plant cell cultures. — Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 To home in on targets, Auterion’s software relies solely on the visual information available from the Shrike drone’s main onboard camera. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026 Rather than focusing solely on imposing forms, the Aaltos used natural light, tactile materials and connections with the surrounding landscape to create spaces around the needs of their occupants. — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Rather than serving solely as a fuel, researchers are increasingly exploring its potential as a source of advanced materials, potentially opening new applications for one of the world’s most abundant carbon resources. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

soleless
solely
solemn
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Solely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solely. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

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

Nglish: Translation of solely for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of anecdote

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All