simply

American  

[sim-plee] / ˈsɪm pli /

adverb

1. in a simple manner; clearly and easily.

2. plainly; unaffectedly.

3. sincerely; artlessly.

   to speak simply as a child.

4. merely; only.

   It is simply a cold.

5. unwisely; foolishly.

   If you behave simply toward him, you're bound to be betrayed.

6. wholly; absolutely.

   simply irresistible.

---

simply British  

/ ˈsɪmplɪ /

adverb

1. in a simple manner

2. merely; only

3. absolutely; altogether; really

   a simply wonderful holiday

4. (sentence modifier) frankly; candidly

---

Etymology

Origin of simply

First recorded in 1250–1300, simply is from the Middle English word simpleliche. See simple, -ly

Example Sentences

After the strikes, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said: "It is a joint operation, and it is not targeting any religion nor simply in the name of one religion or the other."

From Barron's

The cross-gender viewing allegations at the Lynwood women’s jail are “one of many times when the county could have avoided litigation by simply correcting conditions,” Huntsman said.

From Los Angeles Times

Clarity tells us it’s simply not possible to help everyone, and trying to do so will topple the whole shebang.

From Los Angeles Times

But the real reason he writes poetry, he says, is simply to express himself.

From The Wall Street Journal

Doubling the tax exclusions would simply adjust the exclusion values for inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• commonly
• directly
• easily
• honestly
• naturally
• openly
• quietly