Thesaurus results for MERELY

merely

adverb

ˈmir-lē

Definition of merely

as in just

nothing more than the outside noise was merely a raccoon knocking over the garbage can

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of merely The team captain and All-Pro right guard merely let his emotions come out. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 25 Sep. 2026 According to recent survey data from polling firm Forsa, merely 11% of the German public currently expresses satisfaction with his performance in office. — CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026 OpenAI’s report also suggests the purpose was merely to gather information. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026 There is a world of difference between the Movie Stars and the merely known. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for merely

Recent Examples of Synonyms for merely

Adverb

The backstory For most of my life, the Old Dutch Inn has been just a faint memory of kicking my legs from a bar stool, drinking a Shirley Temple next to my late grandmother, who would likely have been nursing a gin and tonic.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
This is on top of Perez Hilton and plenty of other sites (Gawker included) that would just flat-out insult people, draw nasty things on their pictures, and just generally malign them.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

Trump is hosting Xi in Washington this week as their economic and tech competition is only escalating, especially through an artificial intelligence race.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
These figures will only grow as ASEAN’s middle class comes into its own.

— Jon M. Huntsman, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of only

Adverb

The goal was never simply tourism revenue, but creating culturally safe employment for Ahousaht members, welcoming outsiders into the Nation’s 250,000-hectare territory, and reasserting presence on land their people were historically displaced from.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2026
Taken together, the announcements show Meta moving beyond the idea of glasses as simply VR or camera devices.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of simply

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mere

merely

meres

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“Merely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merely. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of merely

adverb

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