merely

[meer-lee]

adverb

1. only as specified and nothing more; simply.

   merely a matter of form.

2. Obsolete.

   1. without admixture; purely.

   2. altogether; entirely.

ˈmerely

/ ˈmɪəlɪ /

adverb

1. only; nothing more than

Word History and Origins

Origin of merely¹

First recorded in 1400–50, merely is from the late Middle English word mereli. See mere ¹, -ly

Example Sentences

In other words, merely because a company doesn’t cancel some of its accused subscribers doesn’t make it necessarily liable for their alleged infringement.

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How about an animated feature in which a snake is a gentle, misunderstood hero who seeks merely to restore his people’s —er, his fellow reptiles’—rightful legacy?

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Bills don’t get passed merely because someone drops a draft in the hopper.

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In the period covering early October to Nov. 17, the beige book said companies had instituted hiring freezes, left jobs unfilled when workers left or merely replaced departing employees.

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The federal fact sheet noted that a “professional degree” is merely an internal definition it uses “to distinguish among programs that qualify for higher loan limits.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• hardly 
• only 
• purely 
• simply 
• solely