merely

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And the higher expected returns on equities merely compensate for the risk that will be borne by the taxpayers — a huge and risky financial maneuver with very little payoff.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

It would be easy to conclude that this is merely a case of managers using A.I. to do less work, but many employees have noticed something puzzling: Their managers seem more burned out than ever.

From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026

Clarence Barron, this magazine’s founder, called investing “the application of money to practical ends,” as opposed to gambling, where “the gains of the successful merely offset the losses of the unsuccessful.”

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Defensive wars don’t merely protect states, they also deform them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Boaz could see Clara struggling for words, but the woman merely smiled before turning back to the Prince of Demons.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny