SIMPLY Synonyms: 23 Similar and Opposite Words

simply

adverb

ˈsim-plē

Definition of simply

as in only

for nothing other than the scholarships are awarded simply on the basis of merit uninterested in food, she eats simply to keep alive

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in just

nothing more than it's simply smart to shop around before buying an item

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of simply For Coon, the answer is not simply to condemn the communities people find, but to build better ones. — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 But simply aiming to enter retirement with a $0 debt balance overlooks an important part of the equation. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 The pace of spending simply can’t be sustained, according to Samuel Tombs and Oliver Allen at Pantheon Macroeconomics. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026 Judging simply by the statistics, Liam Hendriks’ 2023 season seemed like a disaster. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for simply

Recent Examples of Synonyms for simply

Adverb

One woman writing for Hers described spending about an hour working up the courage for her first weight-loss shot, only to find the thin needle barely hurt.

— Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
His films have so far ended in darkness, offering only the belief that light might exist somewhere ahead.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of only

Adverb

That is because Lula, Brazil’s current president and campaigning candidate, had been parading the centre of Rio just a few hundred meters away from the port.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Kagan and Soai figured out, for the first time, a way to create just one of those mirror images.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

Recent studies have proposed that these fluctuations are not purely random but occur within what is known as a chaotic attractor — a set of possible storm states within which the hurricane can evolve unpredictably.

— Chanh Kieu, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
The only downside is that he’s seen as a purely comic figure by some in the industry.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of purely

Adverb

Ilya’s urging to slow down and observe the safety protocols merely result in Sam nudging him aside, along with Mira for a time.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Strategies that merely address discrete foreign influence campaigns will fail to meet the challenges presented by full-spectrum propaganda.

— RENÉE DIRESTA, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of merely

Adverb

But when an event swells to the size of a city — the New York City Marathon had nearly 60,000 finishers last year — climate risk is no longer solely a personal matter.

— Vibhu Krishna, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
During a separate appearance at the Bloomberg conference, RedBird Capital Partners founder Gerry Cardinale, a Paramount investor and board member, said finding $6 billion in cuts would be relatively easy, and would not be focused solely on layoffs.

— Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of solely

Adverb

There are also new details from the university’s Title IX investigation, records of which were exclusively obtained by the New York Times and corroborated by Doe’s attorney.

— Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
In Paris, the collection is exclusively available at the pop-up, which is open through Tuesday.

— Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of exclusively

Browse Nearby Words

simplistic

simply

simps

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“Simply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/simply. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of simply

adverb

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