1
: to the exclusion of all else
done solely for money
2
: without another : singly
went solely on her way
Examples of solely in a Sentence
His rank was based solely on merit.
You will be held solely responsible for any damage.
She did not write solely for money.
Recent Examples on the Web
However, framing this solely as a subsidy to oil companies ignores the reality that consumers also benefit from artificially low energy prices.
—
Robert Rapier, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Beisner still works for Old Well Management, but after the collectives merged, his duties no longer solely applied to assisting the men’s basketball program.
—Brendan Marks, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Shortly after the memo was walked back, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on social media that the new directive was not a rescission of the federal funding freeze, but solely an unwinding of OMB's Jan. 27 memo.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2025
On multiple occasions, Taylor attempted to question witnesses about other topics outside the IGG – but Judge Hippler sustained objections from prosecutors, who noted that the hearing was solely dedicated to IGG.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 24 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Solely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solely. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Kids Definition
solely
adverb
sole·ly
ˈsō(l)-lē 
2
: only entry 2 sense 1a
done solely for money
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