solely against

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "solely against" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is exclusively or only in opposition to something else. Example: "The new policy is solely against the interests of small businesses."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

The pioneering Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was directed solely against them.

The Guardian

The lawsuit is not the first to be filed solely against Peter Madoff since his brother's arrest.

The New York Times

Holik, who played solely against Lemieux, won 16 of 22 face-offs, a 73percentt success rate.

The New York Times - Sports

The defendant, it said, had been deprived of the equal protection guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, a guarantee "not directed solely against discrimination between whites and Negroes".

The New York Times

"You can't come out and defend solely against the quarterback running the ball, making that your only priority," Redskins safety Mark Carrier said.

The New York Times - Sports

Little is known about the group, which first appeared on Facebook on 21 January, and purports to act solely against the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

A summary of these products is listed below: Droncit injection: Contains praziquantel and is solely effective against tapeworms (no efficacy against roundworms).

WikiHow

Therefore, our expression data were inserted in the PCA as raw data solely corrected against the reference genes but not against any control groups of the underlying cell culture assay.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Another nucleoside inhibitor, i.e. 4′-azidocytidine (Fig. 13b), is solely active against HCV and does not show activity against flaviviruses and other RNA viruses (Klumpp et al., 2006, and unpublished data).

Antiviral Research

"Our activities are solely directed against Isil, or Daesh [Islamic State], we are staying well away from the Syrian government forces and certainly staying well away from other Syrian forces, the Free Syrian Army and so forth – the rebel forces that are opposed to Assad," Turnbull said.

The Guardian

But he got a laugh on that one, and before we knew it, the erstwhile contrarian and longtime curmudgeon was an engaging, wise-cracking, media day star, and not solely measured against the low-bar standard set by Belichick earlier in the day.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "solely against" to clearly indicate that an action, campaign, or argument is directed at one specific target, avoiding ambiguity about other potential targets.

Common error

Avoid using "solely against" when the opposition or action has multiple targets. Ensure that the context genuinely reflects a single, exclusive focus.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "solely against" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or noun, specifying the exclusive target of an action, feeling, or opposition. As Ludwig AI confirms, the expression is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

41%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "solely against" is a grammatically sound and frequently used prepositional phrase that indicates an exclusive opposition or action towards a specific target. As Ludwig AI validates, its usage is correct, and it effectively communicates a singular focus. The phrase finds prominence in news, scientific, and general writing, maintaining a neutral register across diverse contexts. To enhance clarity, it is advisable to use "solely against" when the opposition is genuinely exclusive, preventing overgeneralization. Alternatives like "exclusively opposed to" or "only directed at" can be considered for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exclusively opposed to

Replaces "solely" with "exclusively", emphasizing the single focus of opposition.

only directed at

Uses "only directed at" to convey the idea of being exclusively aimed at something.

purely in opposition to

Emphasizes the unmixed or complete nature of the opposition.

entirely in conflict with

Highlights a complete state of disagreement or opposition.

exclusively fighting

Focuses on the combative aspect, stating that the fighting is only against a single entity.

uniquely adversarial to

Highlights that the subject is uniquely in an adversarial relationship.

specifically targeted at

Focuses on the targeting aspect, making it clear only one target is specified.

completely set against

Indicates total opposition or resistance to something.

merely in contention with

Shows that the phrase is in disagreement in a simple manner.

singularly against

Focuses on the singularity of the opposition, using "singularly" for emphasis.

FAQs

How can I use "solely against" in a sentence?

You can use "solely against" to specify that an action or feeling is directed towards one specific thing or person. For example: "The campaign was "solely against" the proposed tax increase".

What are some alternatives to "solely against"?

Alternatives include "exclusively opposed to", "only directed at", or "purely in opposition to". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "solely against" or "only against"?

"Solely against" and "only against" are very similar. "Solely" adds a slightly stronger emphasis on the exclusivity of the opposition.

What does "solely against" imply about other potential targets?

Using "solely against" implies that there are no other targets or objects of the action or feeling being described. It emphasizes a singular focus.