From Middle English mereli, equivalent to .

• (British) IPA: /ˈmɪəli/
• (America) IPA: /ˈmɪɹli/

merely (not comparable)

1. (focus) Without any other reason etc.; only, just, and nothing more. [from 16th c.]
2. (obsolete) Wholly, entirely. [16th]
   • 1854, Henry David Thoreau, Slavery in Massachusetts:

     I am sorry to say, that I doubt if there is a judge in Massachusetts who is prepared to resign his office, and get his living innocently, whenever it is required of him to pass sentence under a law which is merely contrary to the law of God.

• (wholly)
• (without any other reason) See also Thesaurus:merely

• French: simplement, uniquement, seulement
• German: bloß, lediglich, nur, schier
• Italian: soltanto, solamente, meramente, semplicemente
• Portuguese: meramente, somente
• Russian: то́лько
• Spanish: meramente, puramente, solamente, sólo