merely

[ meer-lee ]

adverb

1. only as specified and nothing more; simply:

   merely a matter of form.

2. Obsolete.
   1. without admixture; purely.
   2. altogether; entirely.

ˈmerely

/ ˈmɪəlɪ /

adverb

1. only; nothing more than

Word History and Origins

Origin of merely¹

First recorded in 1400–50, merely is from the late Middle English word mereli. See mere ¹, -ly

Example Sentences

Investors betting on Public, then, would be placing a wager on not merely future user growth, but the startup’s ability to monetize effectively in the future.

From TechCrunch

Someone asks again and again and again over several years and it’s neither cute nor flattering, and it goes beyond being merely unwelcome.

From Ozy

She merely notes how surprising it is that people like you accept the premise that your good fortune is a rebuke to her reverses.

From Washington Post

Big data was the jam a while back, but it turned out to be merely one piece in the broader data puzzle.

From TechCrunch

The NBA has academies all over the world, but it is not just merely to develop young players.

From Ozy

Marrying yourself merely underscores selfishness and self-interest, rather than enabling you to live singly in the best way.

From The Daily Beast

Later reports say that authorities claimed to be merely escorting him back to his house arrest.

From The Daily Beast

“It was not merely the work in which he had constantly grown happier that he saw taken from him,” Howells notes.

From The Daily Beast

I testified merely eight feet from this monster at a preliminary hearing.

From The Daily Beast

As Rathod noted, SIX is not supposed to be merely the opposite of ALEC.

From The Daily Beast

Janet's silence impressed Hilda: it was not merely strange--it was formidable: it affected the whole day.

From Project Gutenberg

We see the whole land, even if but at a distance, instead of being limited merely to the spot where our foot treads.

From Project Gutenberg

Haggard merely played for the excitement, and Spunyarn because it was a lesser bore to play than to look on.

From Project Gutenberg

The America that they annexed to Europe was merely a new domain added to a world already old.

From Project Gutenberg

But they soon fell out, for Murat had the audacity to try and make these patriots fight instead of merely seeking plunder.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• barely
• only
• quite
• simply
• solely