simply

adverb

sim·​ply ˈsim-plē 

 for sense 1 also  -pə-lē

1

a

: without ambiguity : clearly

b

: without embellishment : plainly

c

: directly, candidly

2

a

: solely, merely

eats simply to keep alive

simply cleaned it up and went to bed

—Garrison Keillor

b

: really, literally

the concert was simply marvelous

—often used as an intensive

simply crawling with geniuses

—F. Scott Fitzgerald

Synonyms

• alone
• exclusively
• just
• only
• purely
• solely

Examples of simply in a Sentence

Simply add water to the mix and stir.

Simply click on the computer icon and follow the directions.

If he continues to bother you, simply ignore him.

You can order new checks simply by calling or going online.

It is simply a matter of time before something goes wrong.

The instructions are simply written.

He lived simply on the farm.

The diner is called simply “Joe's.”

“Sorry, I can't help you,” he said simply.

The problem, put simply, is money.

Recent Examples on the Web

Tarot horoscopes simply show the easiest path toward that growth. —Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 May 2025

Intel Foundry’s Success Requires Commitments From Ecosystem Partners In today’s advance semiconductor market, there is no single entity that can be successful on its own – there are simply too many technologies and packaging innovations at play in modern multi-chiplet devices. —Marco Chiappetta, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

And unlike corporations, chatbots have no intention behind their outputs, her legal team argued, instead simply using a probabilistic approach to generate text. —ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2025

By contrast, natural colorings tend to fade more easily when exposed to heat, light, or other ingredients, or simply over time. —Jamie Ducharme, Health, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing simply

• simply connected
• simply ordered

Rhymes for simply

• limply

Kids Definition

simply

adverb

sim·​ply ˈsim-plē 

1

a

: in a clear manner

stated the directions simply

b

: in a plain manner

simply dressed

c

: in a direct manner : candidly

told the story as simply as a child would

2

a

: for nothing more than

eats simply to keep alive

b

: without any question : truly

simply marvelous