merely
MEER-lee
Merely (adv) means Only, and nothing more than; simply. Example: “I merely asked what time it was — no need to get defensive.”
adv
1
Only, and nothing more than; simply.
"All these people, who have tried to set you against me out of envy and love of slander – and some too merely passing on what they have been told by others – all these are very difficult to deal with."
— Plato, Socrates on Trial: The Apology (1954)
"But let us not be unfair to the kibitzers. Not all players hate 'em. Some merely dislike 'em."
— Bruce Hayden, Of Cabbageheads and Kings (1951)
"I merely asked what time it was — no need to get defensive."
"The delay was merely a formality."
"She was merely trying to help, not to criticise anyone."
How to use merely
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsed to say something is only that and nothing bigger or more serious.
Common pairings
merely a suggestion
merely coincidental
not merely X but Y
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I _____ asked what time it was — no need to get defensive.
Etymology
From Middle English mereli, formed from mere plus the adverb suffix -ly.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for merely
See all rhymes for merely →Frequently asked questions
What does “merely” mean?
The word “merely” means only, and nothing more than; simply. In plain terms, used to say something is only that and nothing bigger or more serious.
How do you pronounce “merely”?
“Merely” is pronounced MEER-lee (/ˈmɪɹli/ in IPA).
How do you use “merely” in a sentence?
Here is “merely” used in a sentence: “I merely asked what time it was — no need to get defensive.”
What is another word for “merely”?
Words with a similar meaning to “merely” include barely, but, just, literally, no more than and nothing but.
What is the opposite of “merely”?
The opposite of “merely” — its antonyms — are absolutely, all-fired, completely, indeed and very.
What part of speech is “merely”?
“Merely” is an adverb.
Where does the word “merely” come from?
The word “merely” comes from Middle English. From Middle English mereli, formed from mere plus the adverb suffix -ly.
Is “merely” a common word?
“Merely” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between merely and only?
Both restrict a statement to nothing more than what is stated, but "merely" adds a dismissive or minimising tone and is slightly more formal, as in "it was merely a suggestion." "Only" is the neutral, everyday choice and works more naturally with quantities and times, as in "only five minutes."
Is merely formal?
"Merely" leans formal or literary; in casual speech most people say "just" or "only" instead. It is common in written English when the writer wants to downplay something, as in "this is merely a first draft."
What is the difference between merely and barely?
"Merely" means only, and nothing more than, downplaying importance; "barely" means only just, by a narrow margin. "She merely nodded" says she did nothing more than nod, while "she barely nodded" says her nod was almost imperceptible.
Where does merely go in a sentence?
"Merely" normally sits directly before the word or phrase it limits: before a main verb ("he merely smiled"), after the verb "be" ("it is merely a formality"), or before a noun phrase. Moving it changes which part of the sentence is being downplayed.
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