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 heart has long been thought to be controlled solely by the autonomic nervous system, which transmits signals from the brain.

From Science Daily

D’Habsburg told potential investors that he had created artificial intelligence software capable of accomplishing amazing feats such as predicting the future or detecting a COVID-19 infection based solely on a video recording, prosecutors said.

From Los Angeles Times

“This is a case of demonstrated incompetence. … She was obviously selected solely because she’s loyal to Trump.”

From Los Angeles Times

Certainly, hope is an important psychological motivator for many people, and relying solely on doom-and-gloom messaging could push some people into despondency.

From Salon

More than a fifth of dentists are thought to do solely private work.

From BBC

Related Words

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