1
: to the full or entire extent : completely
a wholly owned subsidiary
2
: to the exclusion of other things : solely
a book dealing wholly with herbs
Examples of wholly in a Sentence
She is wholly devoted to her children.
An infant is wholly dependent on its mother.
The claim is wholly without merit.
Recent Examples on the Web
Washington is about to host a global festival for the LGBTQ community and its allies—all while President Donald Trump is in the White House overseeing a government that is wholly hostile to the visitors’ goals.
—
Philip Elliott, Time, 17 May 2025
Our victory is unclaimed until the number of HIV infections among us is significantly reduced or wholly eliminated.
—Maisha Standifer, Essence, 16 May 2025
And consumers, across both major parties, wholly expect tariffs to be painfully pricey: Year-ahead inflation expectations leapt to 7.3% from 6.5%, Friday’s report showed.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
Geminis have a rep for being liars, but that isn’t wholly true.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wholly
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.
Philip Elliott, Time, 17 May 2025
Our victory is unclaimed until the number of HIV infections among us is significantly reduced or wholly eliminated.
—Maisha Standifer, Essence, 16 May 2025
And consumers, across both major parties, wholly expect tariffs to be painfully pricey: Year-ahead inflation expectations leapt to 7.3% from 6.5%, Friday’s report showed.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
Geminis have a rep for being liars, but that isn’t wholly true.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wholly
Cite this Entry
“Wholly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wholly. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wholly
adverb
whol·ly
ˈhōl-(l)ē 
1
: to the full or entire extent : completely
a wholly different view
2
: to the exclusion of other things : solely
a book devoted wholly to sports cars
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share