Merely

Pronunciation: /ˈmɪrli/

Definitions of merely

adverb used to emphasize that something is small, slight, or insignificant

Example Sentences

A1 I merely wanted to say hello.

A2 She merely glanced at the clock before continuing her work.

B1 The task was not difficult, merely time-consuming.

B2 His actions were not merely a coincidence, but a carefully planned strategy.

C1 The artist's work is not merely beautiful, but also thought-provoking.

C2 Her words were not merely inspiring, but also deeply profound.

Examples of merely in a Sentence

formal The report was not merely a summary of the findings, but a comprehensive analysis of the data.

informal I'm not merely tired, I'm exhausted!

slang She's not merely a good singer, she's a total rockstar!

figurative His words were not merely a whisper, but a powerful declaration of love.

Grammatical Forms of merely

• past tense: merely
• plural: merelies
• comparative: more merely
• superlative: most merely
• present tense: merely
• future tense: will merely
• perfect tense: have merely
• continuous tense: am merely
• singular: merely
• positive degree: merely
• infinitive: to merely
• gerund: merelying
• participle: merelyed

Origin and Evolution of merely

First Known Use: 1300 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'merely' originated from the Middle English word 'merely', which derived from the Old French word 'merelich' meaning 'purely' or 'entirely'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'merely' has evolved to signify something done only as a formality or with little significance, moving away from its original meaning of 'purely' or 'entirely'.