purely

[ pyoo r-lee ]

/ ˈpyʊər li /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR purely ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

in a pure manner; without admixture.

merely; only; solely: purely accidental.

entirely; completely.

innocently, virtuously, or chastely.

Nearby words

Origin of purely

First recorded in 1250–1300, purely is from the Middle English word purliche. See pure, -ly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for purely

The Samaritan guidelines are written around the assumption that suicide is a purely irrational act, an act spurred by illness.
Cover-Ups and Concern Trolls: Actually, It's About Ethics in Suicide Journalism|Arthur Chu|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Purely by chance, Anna Coren had landed in Sydney just as the chocolate shop siege began.
CNN's Overnight Sydney Star|Lloyd Grove|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For starters, from a purely practical, all-hands-on-deck position, I say if you can do the job, you should keep the job.
Justice Ginsburg Shouldn’t Quit Just Yet|Kevin Bleyer|December 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Of course he has no answer he is purely speculating,” Allen said.
Florida Cops on What Ferguson Can Learn From Trayvon|Chris Francescani|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Within months, the four-year-old had made over $300,000 off of her paintings, which were purely abstract.
Blessed or Cursed? Child Prodigies Reveal All|Justin Jones|November 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The existing disqualifications, indeed, were upheld by little but the purely obstructive sentiment.
The English Utilitarians, Volume II (of 3)|Leslie Stephen
“It is purely a matter of breeding,” Christopher Burley replied stiffly.
The Cryptogram|William Murray Graydon
How much of Michael Angelo's time was spent in the purely mechanical part of his art?
The Woman Who Vowed|Ellison Harding
This new intellectual movement was at first purely literary, and affected merely the manner of writing novels, tales, and poems.
Russia|Donald Mackenzie Wallace
Madame Guyon taught that it was possible to love God for himself alone, purely and disinterestedly.
Classic French Course in English|William Cleaver Wilkinson

British Dictionary definitions for purely

purely

/ (ˈpjʊəlɪ) /

adverb

in a pure manner

entirelypurely by chance

in a chaste or innocent manner

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for purely

purely

adv.

late 13c., from pure + -ly (2).

purely

adverb

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Nearby words

Origin of purely

Examples from the Web for purely

purely

adverb

purely