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
Recent Examples on the Web
Sombart took capitalism as not merely a mode of production but a presiding spiritual temper.
—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Ultimately, assuming Democrats’ goal is to win the 2028 election and not merely placate their progressive base, Shapiro is the sort of candidate who could pose a genuine and formidable threat to Vance or any other Republican.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 23 Nov. 2025
Clinicians must lead as innovators, not merely implementers.
—Lawrence Rosenberg, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Their stories deserve not merely validation, but also celebration.
—Essence, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not merely
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Ultimately, assuming Democrats’ goal is to win the 2028 election and not merely placate their progressive base, Shapiro is the sort of candidate who could pose a genuine and formidable threat to Vance or any other Republican.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 23 Nov. 2025
Clinicians must lead as innovators, not merely implementers.
—Lawrence Rosenberg, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Their stories deserve not merely validation, but also celebration.
—Essence, 14 Nov. 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 27 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share