Synonyms for

Merely

Verb / ˈmɪrli: / Another word for merely — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

only; just; simply

Synonyms & similar words

just simply but only only just solely simply purely merely barely scarcely hardly almost nearly virtually practically essentially basically fundamentally mainly chiefly largely

Synonyms by register

Formal

solely only exclusively purely

Informal

just simply only

Literary

but naught but

Antonyms

importantly significantly considerably greatly substantially especially particularly

Common collocations

  • merely a suggestion
  • merely an idea
  • merely a formality
  • merely a distraction
  • merely a coincidence
  • merely a matter of time
  • merely a symptom

Word family

adverb merely

Usage note

Merely is an adverb that emphasizes that something is not important or significant. It is often used to downplay the importance of something.

Example sentences

  1. I merely wanted to say hello.
  2. He was merely trying to help.
  3. She was merely pretending to be sick.
  4. The book was merely okay, not great.
  5. The movie was merely entertaining, not amazing.

Quotes

  • Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid. - G.K. Chesterton
  • I have merely tried to reduce the gap between life and art. - Henri Matisse
  • To be content with little is difficult; to be content with much, impossible. - Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

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