: 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
Richard RussoNot merely decorative, the crisscrossing slats and fins variously filter light and provide privacy.—Rob Haskell
Rob HaskellMany merely desire a pleasant afternoon perusing the exhibitions in their local gallery.—Launt Thompson
Launt ThompsonMany 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
Tim Flannery… because of technology what in the past would have taken days took merely hours.—Lee Child
Lee ChildExamples of merely in a Sentence
the outside noise was merely a raccoon knocking over the garbage can
Recent Examples on the Web
Matching the anything-goes vibe that flows through the resort, the breezy restaurant pavilion is merely a suggestion—ordering lunch or dinner to your private terrace, a candlelit table on the beach, or one of the dozen-or-so secret seating nooks scattered around the property is actively encouraged.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
Back then, both Riley and Glick felt marginalized, under siege in a country where merely criticizing income inequality was viewed as outrageous.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Indeed, for all the high-summer showmanship, the town’s appeal merely changes, rather than diminishes, when the crowds thin.
—Nick Scott, Robb Report, 17 May 2026
These platforms rest on an assumption that proactive state policy can significantly improve living standards, not merely soften an inevitable downturn, and offer voters more optimistic — if sharply divergent — diagnoses and cures than the pervasive resignation captured in the article.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
Back then, both Riley and Glick felt marginalized, under siege in a country where merely criticizing income inequality was viewed as outrageous.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Indeed, for all the high-summer showmanship, the town’s appeal merely changes, rather than diminishes, when the crowds thin.
—Nick Scott, Robb Report, 17 May 2026
These platforms rest on an assumption that proactive state policy can significantly improve living standards, not merely soften an inevitable downturn, and offer voters more optimistic — if sharply divergent — diagnoses and cures than the pervasive resignation captured in the article.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for merely
Cite this Entry
“Merely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/merely. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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