solely

[sohl-lee]

adverb

1. as the only one or ones.

   solely responsible.

2. exclusively or only.

   plants found solely in the tropics.

3. merely.

   She wanted solely to get out of the house for a while.

solely

/ ˈsəʊllɪ /

adverb

1. only; completely; entirely

2. without another or others; singly; alone

3. for one thing only

Word History and Origins

Origin of solely¹

First recorded in 1485–95; sole ¹ + -ly

Example Sentences

The Conservatives support the cap, saying it makes the system fairer, and means parents on benefits face the same financial choices as parents who fund themselves solely through work.

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The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of funding organizations and institutions.

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If they announced that they wanted to stand for re-election, a poll would be held solely on the question of whether they should be returned to parliament.

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One suspects instead that the “Panorama” report was created solely to tickle the emotional pleasure centers of the journalists involved and the liberals among their audience.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The authors note that the content is solely their responsibility and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

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Related Words

• completely 
• entirely 
• exclusively 
• individually 
• merely 
• purely 
• simply 
• single-handedly 
• totally 
• wholly