1
as in only
for nothing other than
the scholarships are awarded simply on the basis of merit uninterested in food, she eats simply to keep alive
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of simply
Instead of doing the hard work of seeking out difficult budget cuts, the board took the easy route and simply voted to increase its levy to the maximum allowed.
—
Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
The drug-trafficking-as-armed-attack line simply doesn’t work—not as a justification for bombing fishing boats in international waters in the Caribbean, and not for invading a foreign country and kidnapping its president.
—Elie Mystal, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
As a college student in Connecticut, I am told that working through college is simply part of the experience.
—Liam McCusker, Hartford Courant, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for simply
Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
The drug-trafficking-as-armed-attack line simply doesn’t work—not as a justification for bombing fishing boats in international waters in the Caribbean, and not for invading a foreign country and kidnapping its president.
—Elie Mystal, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
As a college student in Connecticut, I am told that working through college is simply part of the experience.
—Liam McCusker, Hartford Courant, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for simply
Recent Examples of Synonyms for simply
Adverb
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Kokoloff said the film industry hasn’t only had to compete domestically, but also internationally because production is moving out of the United States and going to countries offering better financial incentives.—
Marianne Love,
Daily News,
13 Jan. 2026
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The Jackson County Legislature only has jurisdiction over policies related to the county sheriff’s office and does not have explicit authority over federal immigration agencies or area cities’ police departments.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Residents near the park, located off David Drive in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood, said they were awakened just before midnight by gunfire and emergency sirens.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
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Designed to bridge the gap between automotive ease and aerospace innovation, the vehicle targets consumers looking for adventure rather than just urban commuting.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
In the Everglades, alligators and crocodiles coexist (and are seen regularly), and the flora and fauna are so robust that this national park was the first set aside purely for its biodiversity.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
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Ride-hailing dominance is eroding consumer brand perception Market dynamics show that ride-hailing operators prioritize vehicles that deliver the strongest cost-to-performance ratio, often selecting models purely on economic efficiency.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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At West Ham, Nuno has aligned himself with a club where the problems run so much deeper than merely trying to prevent the chilly fingers of relegation from closing round their neck.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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But Huddleston disagreed, saying the charter governs spending money but doesn’t apply to merely appropriating it.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Gone are the days of relying on Spanx solely for its shapewear.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Jan. 2026
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The filing underscores the administration’s position that immigration enforcement and foreign policy decisions cannot be disentangled from national security concerns and that all of those are solely under the federal government’s purview.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
The shooting is being investigated by the FBI exclusively.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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The actress also reflected on her role ahead of the 50th anniversary while speaking exclusively to Entertainment Weekly in February 2025.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Simply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/simply. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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