Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

solely

American  
[sohl-lee] / ˈsoʊl li /

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 British  
/ ˈsəʊllɪ /

adverb

  1. only; completely; entirely

  2. without another or others; singly; alone

  3. for one thing only

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of solely

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

“The market is absolutely locked in on the Iran conflict, pretty much solely at this point,” said Mark Hackett, chief market strategist at Nationwide, in a phone interview.

From MarketWatch

The judge said the alleged wrongdoing was based solely on "photographs and videos sent" in October 2019 "following an anonymous tip-off," and environmental authorities did not follow up with additional evidence.

From Barron's

"As you are aware, this is not solely an American matter," Khanna wrote in a letter to the King on Monday.

From BBC

Iran’s sprawling security apparatus isn’t solely held together by ideology.

From The Wall Street Journal

Investors suggested they preferred a simpler story focused solely on fusion.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.