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

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

Army soldiers, even those in non-combat jobs or those who lack previous firearms experience, must pass a rifle marksmanship test that includes targets as far as 325 yards away after mere days of training. —Will Carless, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025

To be sure, Amazon's Project Kuiper constellation is still in its early days, with a mere 102 satellites in orbit — a drop in the sea compared with the 1,600 units the Federal Communications Commission requires to be deployed by July 2026 and the 3,236 that Jeff Bezos' company targets by July 2029. —Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2025

This achievement comes mere days after Judge surpassed another Yankee legend, Yogi Berra, who finished his career with 358 home runs. —Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

All this for a mere $100 increase in its MSRP. —New Atlas, 12 Sep. 2025

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"