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.
Then at the end of the post, he wrote: “This article is entirely fictional; any resemblance to actual events or persons is purely coincidental.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
David said the partnership came about "purely by accident" but two years later it had "worked out very well indeed".
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Most purely cosmetic surgery is paid for out of pocket, as Medicare generally doesn’t cover procedures performed solely for cosmetic purposes.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 5, 2026
When the Treasury announced the plan it was unclear if the coins would have monetary value or would be purely commemorative, but on Wednesday the US Mint said the coins were "also in circulation."
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
In short, genetic information must have been transmitted between two organisms in a purely chemical form, allowing that transition from the rough-coated to the smooth-coated variant.
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.
