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
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 Web
Harry Enten, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
Los Angeles is now a mere 12 months away from serving as primary host of the World Cup soccer championships, and three years away from taking the world stage as host of both the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
This is hardly surprising, as medical training catapults ordinary people into the extraordinary, where life-or-death stakes are no mere metaphors.
—Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
In its century of existence, the Palestinian Arab movement has arguably had a mere three leaders: Abbas, Arafat, and Arafat’s distant cousin, Amin al Husseini, the founding father of Palestinian nationalism.
—Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mere
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Adjective
Thunder’s star Jalen Williams clocks in at a mere 24 years old.
—Harry Enten, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
Los Angeles is now a mere 12 months away from serving as primary host of the World Cup soccer championships, and three years away from taking the world stage as host of both the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
This is hardly surprising, as medical training catapults ordinary people into the extraordinary, where life-or-death stakes are no mere metaphors.
—Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
In its century of existence, the Palestinian Arab movement has arguably had a mere three leaders: Abbas, Arafat, and Arafat’s distant cousin, Amin al Husseini, the founding father of Palestinian nationalism.
—Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mere
Cite this Entry
“Mere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mere. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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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