mere

1 of 4

adjective

ˈmir 

superlative merest

1

: being nothing more than

a mere mortal

a mere hint of spice

2

: having no admixture (see admixture sense 2) : pure

3

obsolete : being nothing less than : absolute

mere

2 of 4

noun (1)

chiefly British

: an expanse of standing (see standing entry 1 sense 2) water : lake, pool

… had seen several boats on an inland mere …

—Yale Review

mere

3 of 4

noun (2)

: boundary

also : landmark

-mere

4 of 4

noun combining form

: part : segment

metamere

Synonyms of mere

Adjective

• very
• sheer

Noun (1)

• puddle
• pool

Examples of mere in a Sentence

Adjective

the mere idea of your traveling alone to Europe is ridiculous

Noun (1)

one of the most scenic meres in England's Lake District

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Late on December 22, for example, mere hours after the shooting, detectives visited Barry and James, both of them still in the ER with conditions listed as critical, to record their official statements. —Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026

For Kurdi, leaving critical decisions up to the musician—and thereby breaking with the tradition that treats performers as mere conduits of a composer’s vision—is both an artistic choice and a political one. —Olivia Giovetti, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026

By the time Coakley’s story similarly becomes about time, the film has no emotional fuel left in the tank, and no way to keep track of how time actually affects its characters in the present or future stories, reducing their experiences to mere montage. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026

The governor’s substantive criticism of the president’s Davos speech as lacking new policy proposals and containing incoherent rhetoric about Greenland and windmills was grounded in observable facts about the address rather than mere partisan attack. —George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin merus; akin to Old English āmerian to purify and perhaps to Greek marmairein to sparkle — more at morn

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English — more at marine

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Old English mǣre; akin to Old Norse landamæri borderland

Noun combining form

French -mère, from Greek meros part — more at merit entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mere

• beer
• bier
• cheer
• clear
• dear
• deer
• drear
• ear
• fear
• fier
• gear
• hear

Kids Definition

mere

1 of 2 noun

ˈmi(ə)r 

: a sheet of still water : pool

mere

2 of 2 adjective

superlative merest

: being only this and nothing else : nothing more than

a mere whisper

a mere child

merely adverb

Etymology

Noun

Old English mere "lake, pool"

Adjective

Middle English mere "nothing more or less than," from Latin merus "pure"