1 merely | Definition of merely

merely

adverb
mere·​ly | \ ˈmir-lÄ“ How to pronounce merely (audio) \

Definition of merely

: 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

First Known Use of merely

circa 1580, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for merely

merely

adverb
mere·​ly | \ ˈmir-lÄ“\

Kids Definition of merely

: nothing else than : just It was merely a suggestion.

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