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
  • The extremely high temperatures required could only be achieved using charcoal.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 July 2026
  • Amendments placed on the ballot by lawmakers would still need only a statewide majority — a distinction critics call hypocritical.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
Adverb
  • Andriy simply isn’t a good leader — neither empathetic nor precise with his advice for Bobby — but then again, Bobby is also clearly in her feelings.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 July 2026
  • Here, in a pristine clinic on the banks of an even more pristine glacial Austrian lake, illness is not simply bad luck that happens to you.
    Jamie Timson, TheWeek, 24 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Merely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merely. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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