SOLELY Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

solely

adverb

ˈsō(l)-lē

Definition of solely

as in only

for nothing other than I fight solely for my country, not for money!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in independently

without aid or support you undertook that project solely on your own, and you will finish it likewise

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of solely Access to the flying car, meanwhile, will solely be invite only. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026 Rather than relying solely on conventional T cells, future treatments may be able to exploit gamma delta T cells to expose a vulnerability in a cancer that has proved exceptionally difficult to treat. — New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026 The ex-agents allege they were filed solely over their role in the probe. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 The Grace twist exists solely as a way to subvert the expectations of viewers who have seen the first movie. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for solely

Recent Examples of Synonyms for solely

Adverb

Brought to Spain, the Colombian prostitutes are required to work off a debt run up by not only the airfare but much more.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Moncler was founded in 1952 in Monestier-de-Clermont, and the mountains are not only the brand’s physical birthplace, but are also symbolic of its goal to aim higher, Ruffini has often said.

— Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of only

Adverb

The president said at the time that her office had been unaware that state officials in Chihuahua and the US government were collaborating independently.

— Mauricio Torres, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
County commissioners have a responsibility to independently examine the recommendations before committing funds.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of independently

Adverb

Based purely on average revenue per user, a key metric for telecom companies, Jio's discount to Airtel seems justified, but Jio wants to be seen as a tech company and not just a utility player.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and other officials have ruled out the deployment of combat troops, stressing that the pact is purely defensive.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of purely

Adverb

Leo presided alone over the liturgy, distributing Communion to medical personnel and Vatican gendarmes present, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
North Korea’s public announcements alone do not establish how successfully these capabilities could be employed in an actual conflict.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of alone

Adverb

Rather than exclusively focusing on what’s wrong with our mental health, one approach is to develop skills, traits, and perspectives that can help us.

— Joan M. Cook, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
The measure specifically exempts pensions and most individual retirement accounts from the tax, with the exception of Roth IRA and other Roth-type accounts worth $10 million or more — a balance compiled almost exclusively by the 1%.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of exclusively

Adverb

Oracle has not separately confirmed the nationwide total in a public statement.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Williams argued that without a viable federal copyright claim, Hugo’s state-law claims involving breach of fiduciary duty and an incomplete accounting should also be dismissed, leaving him free to pursue those claims separately in state court.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of separately

Adverb

The questions came after Zacharia made a brief debut to the media on Tuesday, taking just three questions from reporters after reading off a script.

— Michael Birnbaum The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
Genetic comparisons revealed that deep-sea viral communities in the region are almost entirely unique, with just 4 percent of their protein clusters matching global databases.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

Working again with the vast Northeastern producer group $$$–almost all of whom are individually credited on, like, every track–Bank$ and his preacher friend talk to God over spare keys and groaning nautical machinery.

— Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
Accommodations are individually decorated in tones of soothing beige, and all have marble bathrooms.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of individually

Browse Nearby Words

solecisms

solely

solemn

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Solely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solely. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of solely

adverb

Example Sentences

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