Word
mere
US/ˈmɪɹ/
UK/mˈiə/
Definitions
01only or just
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. used to emphasize how small or unimportant something is.
adj. used to emphasize that the subject is nothing more than what is specified, often highlighting its insignificance or small scale.
日本語:ほんの※
“The cost of the repair was a mere ten dollars, which was much less than I expected.”
“The entire project was derailed by a mere technicality that the legal team had overlooked during the initial review.”
Usage
Always used before a noun; it cannot be used after a verb like 'is'.
Pitfall
It was a mere of five dollars.
It was a mere five dollars.
The word 'mere' is an adjective and should come directly before the noun or number it describes without 'of'.
Antonyms
02a lake or pond
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary · British English · Dialect
n. a lake or a large pond, often used in old stories or British place names.
n. a body of standing water, typically a broad, shallow lake. Often encountered in toponymy or period literature.
“The old castle stood on the edge of a quiet mere, surrounded by thick fog.”
“The poet described the moon reflecting off the silver surface of the mere, capturing the stillness of the English countryside at twilight.”
Teaching tip
Modern learners will mostly see this in place names like 'Windermere' or in fantasy novels.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “mere” in context.
Verb
01. dismiss as a mere coincidence
“The detective refused to dismiss the two similar crimes as a mere coincidence.”
verb + prep + adj + noun
Adjective
02. mere formality
“The final interview was a mere formality, as the board had already decided to hire him.”
adj + noun
03. mere handful of people
“Despite the heavy promotion, a mere handful of people attended the gallery opening.”
adj + noun + prep + noun
04. mere pittance
“After working twelve-hour shifts, the laborers were paid a mere pittance for their efforts.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. mere fraction of the cost
“Generic medications often provide the same benefits at a mere fraction of the cost.”
noun + of + adj + noun
06. mere mention of his name
“The mere mention of his name was enough to make her feel anxious.”
noun + of + adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“After succeeding with a galaxy named Mom-z14, which formed a mere 280m years after the big bang, they turned their attention to other cosmic objects.” “The movie-theater experience of pro-shot theater, then, however makeshift, could be more important than a mere revenue stream.” “Ms Parker has of course seen something in Soph; something real, something above and beyond mere stage histrionics.” Etymology
From Middle English mere, mer, from Anglo-Norman meer, from Old French mier, from Latin merus (“pure, unmixed, undiluted”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to sparkle, gleam”). Cognate with Old English āmerian, āmyrian (“to purify, examine, revise”). The Middle English word was perhaps influenced by or conflated with sound-alike Middle English mere (“glorious, noble, splendid, fine, pure”), from Old English mǣre (“famous, great, excellent, sublime, splendid, pure, sterling”), from Proto-West Germanic mārī, from Proto-Germanic mērijaz.
From Middle English mere, from Old English mǣre, ġemǣre (“boundary; limit”), from Proto-Germanic mairiją (“boundary”), from Proto-Indo-European mey- (“to fence”). Cognate with Dutch meer (“a limit, boundary”), Icelandic mærr (“borderland”), Swedish landamäre (“border, borderline, boundary”).
From Middle English mere, from Old English mere (“lake, pool,” in compounds and poetry “sea”), from Proto-West Germanic mari (“sea”), from Proto-Germanic mari, from Proto-Indo-European *móri. Cognate with West Frisian mar, 'lake', Dutch meer, 'lake', Low German Meer, and German Meer, 'sea'. Non-Germanic cognates include Latin mare, Breton mor, and Russian мо́ре (móre). Doublet of maar and mare (“a large, dark plain; a lake on Titan”).
See mayor.
Borrowed from Māori mere (“more”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Idioms
01. mere mortal
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/mere
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0