English pronunciation · Words Starting with M
Merely Pronunciation
Merely is pronounced MIR-lee, IPA /ˈmɪrli/.
MIR-lee
US /ˈmɪrli/ · UK /ˈmiəli/
Syllables: MIR · lee (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
adverb: Only, and nothing beyond that.
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Merely in a Sentence
- I was merely asking.
- The delay turned out to be merely a few minutes.
- She is merely repeating what she was told.
Common Mispronunciations of Merely
Not MER-lee
That ere spelling gives the vowel of here, not the vowel of her. Americans land on MIR and British speakers on MEE-uh.
Not muh-REE-lee
Two beats, loud one first. A third beat creeps in from reading the word as though it were built on really.
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