Holey vs holy vs wholly: simple tips to remember the difference

The words HOLEY, HOLY and WHOLLY are easy to confuse. They’re homophones – which means they sound the same – but their meanings are very different. 

Here are my simple tips to help you remember the difference between HOLEY, HOLY and WHOLLY.

When to use HOLEY

HOLEY is an adjective that describes something that’s full of holes.

It can be used in a sentence like this:

“This Swiss cheese is very HOLEY.”

OR

“You’re wearing HOLEY socks!”

When to use HOLY

HOLY is an adjective that describes something sacred or associated with God. It’s commonly used with ‘spirit’.

It can be used in a sentence like this:

“The Bible and the Qur’an are both HOLY books.”

OR

“She was baptised by the HOLY spirit.”

When to use WHOLLY

WHOLLY is an adverb that means entirely or completely.

It can be used in a sentence like this:

“I am WHOLLY committed to this idea.”

OR

“Hmm. I’m not WHOLLY convinced by your argument.”

Now you know the difference between HOLEY, HOLY and WHOLLY, you’ll remember that sponges and sieves are WHOLLY HOLEY, and that churches and temples are WHOLLY HOLY! 

I hope these tips help you to remember the difference between these commonly confused words in the future.

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