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Synonyms
Examples of mere in a Sentence
Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2024
But that slowly changes until the mere presence of the big birds manages to convey a sense unease.
—Gabino Iglesias, NPR, 16 Apr. 2024
The likes of Jacob Lawrence or Ralph Ellison, for example, or even Dr. King and Jesse Jackson are reduced, by some today, to a mere footnote in the struggle for democracy.
—Eddie S. Glaude Jr., TIME, 15 Apr. 2024
Yet the bottom line for reboots is whether the new show brings anything fresh or distinctive to the material, while providing enough of a relationship to the source, beyond mere nostalgia, to justify the process.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
Republicans retook the House mere months after Dobbs.
—The Editors, National Review, 9 Apr. 2024
In mere months, the coral has the potential to flourish once again.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
Ben Fitchett/Urban Cowboy Denver Urban Cowboy Denver Where it’s located: Many travelers tend to view Denver as a mere waypoint on their way into the mountains, but Urban Cowboy’s first western property makes the case for spending a night (or more) in the city.
—Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2024
However, just mere minutes later, McDermott deleted the post.
—Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mere.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Adjective
Middle English, from Latin merus; akin to Old English āmerian to purify and perhaps to Greek marmairein to sparkle — more at morn
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English — more at marine
Noun (2)
Middle English, from Old English mǣre; akin to Old Norse landamæri borderland
Noun combining form
French -mère, from Greek meros part — more at merit entry 1
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to mere
Dictionary Entries Near mere
Cite this Entry
“Mere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mere. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
mere
2 of 2 adjectiveNoun
Old English mere "lake, pool"
Adjective
Middle English mere "nothing more or less than," from Latin merus "pure"
More from Merriam-Webster on mere
Nglish: Translation of mere for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of mere for Arabic Speakers
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