not merely

idiom

used to say that one thing is true and that another thing is also true
He was not merely a great baseball player, he was also a great person.

Examples of not merely in a Sentence

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To say America’s landscape was littered in the 1970s is not merely poetic phrasing. James Salzman, The Conversation, 5 Jan. 2026 This shift does not merely increase the volume of misinformation. Klaus Schwab, Time, 5 Jan. 2026 The primary feeling that many of us currently experience is not merely distress but profound disorientation. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026 Sisley’s biggest 2025 launch, the Sisleÿum for Men line includes four products—a gel cleanser, a hydrating toner, and two moisturizers—tailored to guys’ skin in ways that feel thoughtful, not merely masculinized. Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 31 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for not merely

Cite this Entry

“Not merely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20merely. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

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