mere·ly
Pronounced:
/ˈmiɚli/
Function:
adverbMeaning:
: only, just —used to say that someone or something is small, unimportant, etc. ▪ This is merely a minor delay. ▪ They were merely children when their father died. ▪ Was it merely a coincidence? ▪ It was merely a suggestion. —used to describe the only reason for something or the only effect of something ▪ She got the job merely because her father owns the company. [=the only reason she got the job was because her father owns the company] ▪ Your essay merely hints at the real problem. ▪ You shouldn't blame her. She was merely following orders. [=she was following orders and not doing anything more than that] ▪ I'm not criticizing you. I'm merely suggesting that we try a new approach.
not merely
—used to say that one thing is true and that another thing is also true ▪ He was not merely a great baseball player, he was also a great person.