wholly
HOH-lee
Wholly (adv) means Completely; entirely; with nothing left out. Example: “I am wholly satisfied with the service I received at the hotel.”
adv
1
Completely; entirely; with nothing left out.
"I am wholly satisfied with the service I received at the hotel."
"The conservative justices appear wholly unbothered by the howls that the court is no more than a partisan institution, turning their destructive attention next to what remains of the Voting Rights Act."
— Ryan Doerfler, It’s time to accept that the US supreme court is illegitimate and must be replaced (2025)
"The decision was wholly his own."
"The claims turned out to be wholly untrue."
"The explosion rocked the Riteng Computer Accessory Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pegatron, in Shanghai’s Songjiang district."
— Hayley Tsukayama, Report: Apple partner Pegatron under scrutiny after blast (2011)
How to use wholly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTotally and completely, in every respect.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "holy" (sacred) or "holey" (full of holes) — all three sound alike.
Easily confused with
holy →
holey
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Etymology
From Middle English holly/holliche, built on whole plus -ly.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for wholly
See all rhymes for wholly →Frequently asked questions
What does “wholly” mean?
The word “wholly” means completely; entirely; with nothing left out. In plain terms, totally and completely, in every respect.
How do you pronounce “wholly”?
“Wholly” is pronounced HOH-lee (/ˈhoʊ.li/ in IPA).
How do you use “wholly” in a sentence?
Here is “wholly” used in a sentence: “The decision was wholly his own.”
What is another word for “wholly”?
Words with a similar meaning to “wholly” include completely, totally and solely.
What is the opposite of “wholly”?
The opposite of “wholly” — its antonyms — is partly.
What part of speech is “wholly”?
“Wholly” is an adverb.
Where does the word “wholly” come from?
The word “wholly” comes from Middle English. From Middle English holly/holliche, built on whole plus -ly.
Is “wholly” a common word?
“Wholly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.
What is the difference between wholly and holy?
Wholly and holy are homophones with completely different meanings: wholly means completely or entirely, describing the extent of something, while holy means sacred or dedicated to religious purposes. Confusing the two is a common spelling mistake because they sound identical.
Is wholly formal or informal?
Wholly is more common in formal or written English, such as legal, academic, or official text, whereas 'completely' or 'totally' are more typical in everyday speech.
How is wholly different from wholesale as an adverb?
Wholly simply means completely or entirely in a neutral sense, while 'wholesale' used adverbially often implies a sweeping, indiscriminate change, such as 'wholesale changes to the policy.' Wholly does not carry that connotation of scale or disruption.
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