Word
wholly
Phoneticswhol·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhoʊɫi/
UK/hˈəʊli/
Adverb of degree
Definitions
01completely
C1 · Advanced Formal
adv. completely and entirely, with no exceptions.
adv. to the fullest extent or degree; used to indicate that a state or action is absolute.
“The two situations are wholly different and cannot be compared.”
“The committee found that the initial reports were wholly inaccurate, leading to a complete restructuring of the project's timeline.”
Usage
As a non-gradable adverb, it does not take modifiers like 'very' or 'extremely'.
Synonyms
02exclusively
C1 · Advanced Formal
adv. only or solely; involving nothing else.
adv. exclusively or solely; indicating that a particular factor is the only one involved.
“The company is now wholly owned by a larger international group.”
“The success of the initiative was wholly dependent on the cooperation of local authorities, without whom the plan would have failed.”
Usage
Frequently used in legal or business contexts to describe ownership or responsibility.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Songs that are largely or wholly created by AI have been banned from Australia's music charts.” “Anthropic’s contracting behavior makes the point: At a wholly owned site, Anthropic controls the terms directly.” Etymology
From Middle English holly, holeliche, holliche (also as halely, hallich, etc.), equivalent to whole + -ly. Doublet of holy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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