SIMPLY Synonyms: 23 Similar and Opposite Words

simply

adverb

ˈsim-plē

Definition of simply

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in just

nothing more than it's simply smart to shop around before buying an item

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 simply Colom captured the attention of national pundits with an extremely effective ad attacking Hyde-Smith for her tone-deaf response to rising beef prices that Mississippians could simply switch to a different source of protein. — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 11 Nov. 2026 Some bag charms are simply there to look good; others offer a clever place to tuck away small essentials. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2026 If the measure were simply the most dominant player in his league, though, Alvarez made a strong case. — Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 11 Nov. 2026 It could have simply been captured by the Milky Way billions of years ago. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 11 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for simply

Recent Examples of Synonyms for simply

Adverb

Utilizing their seventh different starting lineup through the team’s first 11 games of the season, the Magic only had 10 players available against the Jazz in the second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday night.

— Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Nov. 2026
Over time, Trumpian communication failed to exploit a vulnerable group of people who are repeatedly exposed only to information, opinions, and perspectives that validate their existing beliefs.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of only

Adverb

April 18 at the apartment complex in the 4600 block of Ashdale Court, just north of Myrtle Avenue.

— Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2026
The Hope spent much of its time ferrying sailors and the wounded from other ships or ports to military hospitals, and like the Comfort, it too was attacked multiple times, though each attack failed, usually just missing the ship.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

Some stories can harden moral perception, of course, pushing us to dichotomize the purely good and the purely evil, as in the moral pornography of superhero comics and revenge flicks.

— Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026
SpaceX became the first purely commercial launch startup to announce plans to build a new medium-lift rocket about two decades ago, in 2005.

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of purely

Adverb

Scientists have built a computer model of Earth without life to help determine whether distant planets could host living organisms or merely have conditions that resemble those of an inhabited world.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
Zvyagintsev replied that an artist merely represents the reality around him.

— Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of merely

Adverb

Those reactions suggest most Republicans hold Trump solely or partly responsible for their party’s midterm losses, a perception that could undermine his influence in the GOP going forward.

— Scott Clement, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026
Rather than relying solely on movement around the pool, the navigation system is intended to help the cleaner cover surfaces more methodically, reducing the amount of manual intervention required.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of solely

Adverb

The bath products are from one of my favorite local producers, Harnn, who created a scent exclusively for Kromo.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
The Cybertruck is exclusively produced at the company's plant in Texas alongside the Tesla Model Y and two-seat Cybercab, which Musk has touted as a crucial product for the automaker moving forward.

— Michael Wayland,Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of exclusively

Browse Nearby Words

simplistic

simply

simps

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“Simply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/simply. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of simply

adverb

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