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 Employment Agreements Can Change the At-Will Analysis Not every California employment relationship is governed solely by the default at-will rule. — William Jones, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Small and large plates highlighting tandoor cooking, chaat and even seafood, covering a variety of Indian regional cuisine, rather than focusing solely on the curries and breads of Northern India commonly found in American restaurants. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026 One set should focus solely on the solvency and sustainability of Social Security. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026 Compliance should not be managed solely as a sequence of projects. — Ann Blakely, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for solely

Recent Examples of Synonyms for solely

Adverb

One woman writing for Hers described spending about an hour working up the courage for her first weight-loss shot, only to find the thin needle barely hurt.

— Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
His films have so far ended in darkness, offering only the belief that light might exist somewhere ahead.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of only

Adverb

It was made in secret and released independently with the backing of its producer The Guardian, and MK2.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2026
These findings provide the first direct evidence that a PDW can exist independently of the main superconducting phase.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of independently

Adverb

Recent studies have proposed that these fluctuations are not purely random but occur within what is known as a chaotic attractor — a set of possible storm states within which the hurricane can evolve unpredictably.

— Chanh Kieu, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
The only downside is that he’s seen as a purely comic figure by some in the industry.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of purely

Adverb

Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, and Microsoft alone invested a staggering $400 billion in 2025 – and that was just on data centers.

— Yerbol Orynbayev, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
Some novelty bloody bath mat products function alone in place of other bathmats, while others are placed on top of proper bath mats for safe usage.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of alone

Adverb

There are also new details from the university’s Title IX investigation, records of which were exclusively obtained by the New York Times and corroborated by Doe’s attorney.

— Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
In Paris, the collection is exclusively available at the pop-up, which is open through Tuesday.

— Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of exclusively

Adverb

That is because Lula, Brazil’s current president and campaigning candidate, had been parading the centre of Rio just a few hundred meters away from the port.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Kagan and Soai figured out, for the first time, a way to create just one of those mirror images.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

The state should have to individually make cases to collect the money rather than automatically applying liens.

— Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
An exploitable attack path may consist of findings that would not individually justify an emergency fix but collectively provide access to business-critical systems and data.

— Taylor Morgan, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of individually

Browse Nearby Words

solecisms

solely

solemn

See all Nearby Words

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Style

“Solely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solely. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of solely

adverb

Example Sentences

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