merely

adverb
UK: /ˈmɪə.li/
US: /ˈmɪr.li/

  1. Only; and nothing more than.

    1. I merely asked a question. [ ] [ ]
    2. He said they were merely friends, but I don't believe him; there is chemistry. [ ] [ ]

  2. Just; simply.

    1. It is merely a suggestion. [ ] [ ]
    2. They are merely existing, not truly living; it's a sad state of affairs. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

simply purely just barely only

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "merely" in English means: Only; and nothing more than., Just; simply..

The phonetic transcription of "merely" is /ˈmɪə.li/ in British English and /ˈmɪr.li/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "merely": simply, purely, just, barely, only.

Example usage of "merely": "I merely asked a question.". More examples on the page.