Word · Frequency #1273
merely
仅仅；只；不过
merely
- 1.
and nothing more
仅此而已
仅此而已；只
In use
She merely smiled when I apologized.
This is merely a suggestion, not a rule.
He didn't run to class; he merely walked.
I was merely asking
merely + verb
She merely smiled and said nothing.
她只是笑了笑，什么也没说。
not merely... but (also)...
用于强调程度更深。
This is not merely a problem but a crisis.
这不仅是一个问题，而且是一场危机。
merely + for/in order to
He did it merely for money.
他这么做仅仅是为了钱。
Common mistakes
He is a merely student.He is merely a student.
“merely”是副词，不能直接修饰名词，应放在动词或系动词之后、主要动词之前。
Merely I want to help you.I merely want to help you.
副词“merely”不能放在句首修饰全句，应放在主语之后、主要动词之前。
Connections
Collocations
- merely a
- 仅仅一个
- It was merely a suggestion, not an order.这仅仅是一个建议，不是命令。
- merely because
- 仅仅因为
- He left merely because he was bored.他离开仅仅是因为他感到无聊。
- merely to
- 仅仅为了
- She called merely to say hello.她打电话仅仅是为了打个招呼。
- merely as
- 仅仅作为
- It was used merely as a decoration.它仅仅被用作装饰。
- merely for
- 仅仅为了
- He did it merely for fun.他做这件事仅仅是为了好玩。
Synonyms
Learner notes
Memory Tip
将merely拆为mere（仅仅）和ly（副词后缀），意为'仅仅地'。
Context & Register
通常用于正式或书面语境，表示‘仅仅’，强调程度低。也可用于日常，但语气较正式。中性无贬义。
Grammar Note
用于强调仅限于所修饰的成分，常置于被修饰词前。
Pronunciation & Spelling
Words like 'nearly', 'clearly', 'dearly', 'yearly', and 'sincerely' rhyme with 'merely' (stressed vowel /ɪə/ + /li/). Caution: 'barely' ends with -ly but has /eə/ instead of /ɪə/, so it does not rhyme.
High-value vocabulary
该词属于 Oxford 核心词汇，值得优先掌握常见搭配和句型。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 3，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Dictionary facts from DICTIONARY_API_DEV, ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.