superlative merest
1
: being nothing more than
a mere mortal
a mere hint of spice
2
: having no admixture (see admixture sense 2) : pure
3
obsolete
: being nothing less than : absolute
chiefly British
: an expanse of standing (see standing entry 1 sense 2) water : lake, pool
had seen several boats on an inland mere—
Yale Review
Yale Review
: part : segment
metamere
Synonyms
Examples of mere in a Sentence
Adjective
the mere idea of your traveling alone to Europe is ridiculous
Noun (1)
one of the most scenic meres in England's Lake District
Recent Examples on the WebPCMAG, 1 June 2024
More than a mere conceit, the theatrical façades establish domestic settings as integral to Thomas’ aesthetic.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2024
Ultimately Dennis abandoned his own home to put some distance between himself and the group, who would go on their murderous rampage mere months later.
—Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 1 June 2024
The court's code of conduct, which Alito has signed, urges the justices to avoid the mere appearance of bias or impropriety.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 31 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for mere 
Adjective
Spinning at a mere 860rpm to 880rpm, the two side-panel intakes were enough to keep the View 270 TG ARGB’s CPU and GPU temperatures near the head of the class, though the motherboard’s voltage-regulator temperature was closer to mid-pack.
—PCMAG, 1 June 2024
More than a mere conceit, the theatrical façades establish domestic settings as integral to Thomas’ aesthetic.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2024
Ultimately Dennis abandoned his own home to put some distance between himself and the group, who would go on their murderous rampage mere months later.
—Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 1 June 2024
The court's code of conduct, which Alito has signed, urges the justices to avoid the mere appearance of bias or impropriety.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 31 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for mere
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.
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Cite this Entry
“Mere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mere. Accessed 8 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mere
2 of 2 adjective
superlative merest
: being only this and nothing else : nothing more than
a mere whisper
a mere child
merely
adverb
Etymology
Noun
Old English mere "lake, pool"
Adjective
Middle English mere "nothing more or less than," from Latin merus "pure"
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