# merely

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈmɪəli/ · frequency rank #3,828

## Definitions
1. Without any other reason etc.; only, just, and nothing more.
2. Wholly, entirely.

## Etymology
From Middle English mereli, equivalent to mere + -ly.

## Easily confused with
- **merry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merely-vs-merry)
- **Meryl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merely-vs-meryl)
- **merle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merely-vs-merle)
- **morel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merely-vs-morel)
- **Merkel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merely-vs-merkel)
- **Mersey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merely-vs-mersey)
- **merrily** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merely-vs-merrily)
- **mere** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mere-vs-merely)
- **mercy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mercy-vs-merely)
- **measly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/measly-vs-merely)

## Common misspellings (9)
`emrely`, `meerly`, `merelly`, `merelyy`, `mereyl`, `merley`, `merrely`, `mmerely`, `mreely`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/merely