merely

adverb

mere·​ly ˈmir-lē 

: nothing more than : only

was merely trying to help

… no boy wanted to be on record as considering a girl a major fox only to discover that she considered him merely cool.

—Richard Russo

Not merely decorative, the crisscrossing slats and fins variously filter light and provide privacy.

—Rob Haskell

Many merely desire a pleasant afternoon perusing the exhibitions in their local gallery.

—Launt Thompson

Many of the deep-sea fishes, for example, have pathetically weak skeletons and terribly flabby bodies—in extreme cases they are the consistency of gelatin and seem to be composed merely of mouth and stomach.

—Tim Flannery

… because of technology what in the past would have taken days took merely hours.

—Lee Child

Synonyms

• but
• just
• only
• purely
• simply

Examples of merely in a Sentence

the outside noise was merely a raccoon knocking over the garbage can

Recent Examples on the Web

By understanding this nuanced relationship, leaders and HR professionals can develop more effective interventions that address the underlying causes of disengagement rather than merely treating its symptoms. —Jonathan H. Westover, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025

Could Berg have launched that boycott, instead of merely threatening to do so? —Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025

What To Know Trump issued several pardons between May 26 and 28, some of which were not announced but merely confirmed via reporting as outlets queried the White House on specific cases. —Peter Aitken alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 June 2025

In any other year, whether or not Patti LuPone merely attended the Tony Awards wouldn’t be newsworthy — but this isn’t just any other year for her. —Andy Swift, TVLine, 8 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing merely

• not just/only/merely
• not merely

Rhymes for merely

• austerely
• severely
• sincerely
• cavalierly
• clearly
• dearly
• nearly
• queerly
• yearly