Definition Synonyms
Definition of merely - Reverso English Dictionary
Adverb
only downplayonly, nothing more, often downplaying importance
- It was merely a scratch, nothing serious.
- He merely glanced at the document before signing it.
- They were merely acquaintances, not close friends.
Expressions with merely
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changes that only affect appearance, not function
The new design looks different, but the changes are merely cosmetic.
in a way that shows only normal human qualities
He reacted merely human when faced with danger.
small wound that is not life-threatening
Despite the blood, it was merely a flesh wound.
Origin of merely
Latin, merus (pure) + -ly (adverbial suffix)
Terms with merely included in their meaning
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View all translations of merely
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:seulement, ...
- German:bloß, ...
- Italian:semplicemente, ...
- Spanish:simplemente, ...
- Portuguese:apenas, ...
- Chinese:仅仅, ...
- Japanese:単に, ...
- Arabic:مجرد, ...
- Hebrew:רַק, ...
- Russian:только, ...
- Ukrainian:лише, ...
- Hindi:मात्र, ...
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