adv
Meaning 1
Alone; exclusively.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
- The new chef was solely responsible for attending the grill.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
solely
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsəʊl.li/
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US: /ˈsoʊl.li/
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rhymes with -əʊlli
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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CMU ARPABET: S OW1 AH0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adverb
Meaning 2
without any others being included or involved
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- was entirely to blame
- a school devoted entirely to the needs of problem children
- he works for Mr. Smith exclusively
- did it solely for money
- the burden of proof rests on the prosecution alone
- a privilege granted only to him
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: entirely, exclusively, alone, only
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English soly, sooly, soolly, equivalent to sole + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
39 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: единствено (edinstveno) — exclusively
- Bulgarian: изключително (izključitelno) — exclusively
- Czech: jedině — exclusively
- Czech: výhradně — exclusively
- Czech: pouze — exclusively
- Czech: výlučně — exclusively
- Esperanto: sole — exclusively
- French: uniquement — exclusively
- French: exclusivement — exclusively
- French: seulement — exclusively
- German: nur — exclusively
- German: einzig und allein — exclusively
- German: ausschließlich — exclusively
- German: exklusiv — exclusively
- German: allein — exclusively
- German: alleinig — exclusively
- Greek: μόνο (móno) — exclusively
- Greek: αποκλειστικά (apokleistiká) — exclusively
- Greek: απλώς και μόνο (aplós kai móno) — exclusively
- Greek: εξ ολοκλήρου (ex oloklírou) — exclusively
- Hungarian: csupán — exclusively
- Hungarian: egyedül — exclusively
- Hungarian: kizárólag — exclusively
- Hungarian: csakis — exclusively
- Hungarian: pusztán — exclusively
- Hungarian: mindössze — exclusively
- Italian: unicamente — exclusively
- Italian: solamente — exclusively
- Italian: esclusivamente — exclusively
- Norwegian: bare — exclusively
- Polish: wyłącznie — exclusively
- Portuguese: puramente — exclusively
- Portuguese: unicamente — exclusively
- Portuguese: exclusivamente — exclusively
- Russian: исключи́тельно (isključítelʹno) — exclusively
- Russian: еди́нственно (jedínstvenno) — exclusively
- Spanish: únicamente — exclusively
- Spanish: solamente — exclusively
- Spanish: exclusivamente — exclusively
Real reading context