Definition of merelynext
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 Their decomposition attributed much of the divergence to how raters measure the same underlying issue rather than merely to differences in scope or weighting. Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 According to reporting from Fortune, Uber also saw its engineers burning through a year’s worth of generative AI tokens in merely four months. ArsTechnica, 22 July 2026 It is currently installed on the restaurant’s roof, though Douek plans to move it into the atrium, where customers can photograph themselves beneath it rather than merely slowing traffic to stare. Naomi Jeffries, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026 Rather than merely serving as an establishment where people are in and out the door, Turner said bookstores invite customers to stay. Julius Miller, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for merely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merely
Adverb
  • With just one year left on his contract and a 2025 season worth forgetting, a bounce-back will be big for him in 2026.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
  • And just being able to lean on T-Mo, Ickey, Rasheed, all the guys who’ve done it and been through the trials and tribulations.
    Alex Zietlow July 23, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026
Adverb
  • Most of the division was focused on combating malaria abroad through a decades-old program called the President’s Malaria Initiative, which was not only funded by USAID but partially run by the agency.
    Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • And that is while seeing a player as precociously gifted as Yamal fast-tracked into the senior squad, a European champion and now a world champion who only turned 19 last week.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Adverb
  • Unlike dogs, they cannot simply be taken on longer walks, often resist dietary changes, and can be difficult to medicate consistently, making GLP-1 therapies potentially attractive if clinical trials prove successful.
    Elsa Ohlen,Carolin Roth, CNBC, 18 July 2026
  • The suitors embarrassed themselves one by one, until Antinous demanded Penelope simply choose the best of them.
    Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026

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“Merely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merely. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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