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; pure, -ly
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.
On the following “Dopamine,” she frames her emotional experiences in purely biological terms, “tripping on our chemistry” with a new lover as she wonders if the feeling can be trusted.
“You really don’t have the impact of jet lag because you’re purely running on adrenaline,” she says.
From Los Angeles Times
Upcoming galaxy surveys, cosmic microwave background studies, and gravitational wave detectors are reaching the sensitivity needed to examine ideas that were once purely theoretical.
From Science Daily
It's the first -- not just the first Canadian lunar mission -- it's the first mission in the world that isn't purely a US crew.
From Barron's
But Beijing has crossed a meaningful threshold: it’s no longer treating births as purely a social concern.
From Barron's
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.
