adverb
-
in a pure manner
-
entirely
purely by chance
-
in a chaste or innocent manner
Etymology
Origin of purely
First recorded in 1250–1300, purely is from the Middle English word purliche; see pure, -ly
Explanation
Anything described as purely is consistent or restricted in some way. Kids often think of their teachers purely as teachers and can’t imagine them outside the classroom. So they get purely confused when they see a teacher at the store. Something pure is made up of only one thing, like a pure gold ring. When anything is described as purely occurring or existing, it is similarly strict. A purely business-related letter is only business. A purely platonic friendship is not romantic at all. A purely bred dog has been bred only with dogs of the same breed. Someone who wants a dog purely for the sake of companionship will not bother with a purely bred dog.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said that the criminal pattern was unlike a network with purely domestic roots.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026
Looking purely at the seasonals, rates tend to have upward pressure through April, but then start to fall in mid-May.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
Moreover, anecdotes are not systematic data, and people vote and make political decisions for a range of reasons, including emotions and principles, that are not purely material or rational.
From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026
Next-generation plug-in hybrid cars with extended purely electric ranges are experiencing increasing global demand, while new models across all drive types from its VW, Cupra, Skoda, Audi and Porsche brands have pushed order intake higher.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
Biologists might have blanched at trying to describe the “gene molecule” on purely hypothetical grounds—but what physicist could resist taking a ramble in weird, risky territory?
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
