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 Shareholders merely own stock, which is a claim on the firm’s assets and earnings. — Ben Tarnoff, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026 Hassett says the White House cannot safely tell people that the economy is great; Bessent says households have not been made whole by merely keeping pace with inflation. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026 Put your energy where connection feels mutual rather than merely expected. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 2 Oct. 2026 Drew Taranto, vice president of strategy and product development for ecommerce and returns at DHL Supply Chain, said retailers shouldn’t view returns merely as a cost center but instead treat them as a value-recovery engine. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for merely

Recent Examples of Synonyms for merely

Adverb

That is because Lula, Brazil’s current president and campaigning candidate, had been parading the centre of Rio just a few hundred meters away from the port.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Kagan and Soai figured out, for the first time, a way to create just one of those mirror images.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

One woman writing for Hers described spending about an hour working up the courage for her first weight-loss shot, only to find the thin needle barely hurt.

— Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
His films have so far ended in darkness, offering only the belief that light might exist somewhere ahead.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of only

Adverb

Demand, however, for multifamily will grow along with interest rates, simply because fewer people will be able to afford to buy a home.

— Diana Olick, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
While the university grappled with yet another football scandal, an Ann Arbor moving crew simply got to work—sorting, packing and hauling away the remnants of a fallen career, one item at a time, over the span of six hours.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 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 8 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of merely

adverb

Example Sentences

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