MERE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for MERE?

Need another word that means the same as “mere”? Find 12 synonyms and 30 related words for “mere” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Mere” are: bare, simple, trifling, meagre, trivial, paltry, basic, scant, scanty, skimpy, minimal, slender

Mere as an Adjective

Definitions of "Mere" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “mere” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Used to emphasize how small or insignificant someone or something is.
• Being nothing more than specified.
• Used to emphasize that the fact of something being present in a situation is enough to influence that situation.
• Apart from anything else; without additions or modifications.

Synonyms of "Mere" as an adjective (12 Words)

bare	Just barely adequate or within a lower limit. A bare livelihood.
basic	Reduced to the simplest and most significant form possible without loss of generality. Basic training for raw recruits.
meagre	(of something provided or available) lacking in quantity or quality. A tall meagre man.
minimal	Characterized by simplicity and lack of adornment or decoration. Needed to enforce minimal standards.
paltry	Petty; trivial. Naval glory struck him as paltry.
scant	Barely amounting to a specified number or quantity. She weighed a scant two pounds.
scanty	Small or insufficient in quantity or amount. The women looked cold in their scanty bodices.
simple	Used to emphasize the fundamental and straightforward nature of something. A simple game.
skimpy	(of clothing) revealing the body. A skimpy allowance.
slender	Being of delicate or slender build Frank Norris. A slender pole.
trifling	Not worth considering. A trifling matter.
trivial	Concerned with trivialities. A trivial mind.

Usage Examples of "Mere" as an adjective

• His stomach rebelled at the mere thought of food.
• Questions that cannot be answered by mere mortals.
• Shocked by the mere idea.
• The city is a mere 20 minutes from some stunning countryside.
• A mere child.

Associations of "Mere" (30 Words)

almost	Slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but. We re almost finished.
bare	Just barely adequate or within a lower limit. Bare feet.
beginner	A person who founds or establishes some institution. An absolute beginner.
braggadocio	Vain and empty boasting.
few	The minority of people; the elect. A few more wagons than usual.
handful	A quantity that fills the hand. The kids could be such a handful.
insignificant	Not worthy of notice. An insignificant sum of money.
least	Used in names of very small animals and plants e g least shrew. My best routine was the one I had practised the least.
less	(comparative of `little’ usually used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning not as great in amount or degree. Less than three years old.
little	Informal small and of little importance. I was always a little afraid of her.
mini	Denoting a miniature version of something. A mini dress.
minimal	Characterized by the repetition and gradual alteration of short phrases. A minimal charge for the service.
minimum	The point on a curve where the tangent changes from negative on the left to positive on the right. They checked visas with the minimum of fuss.
minor	Of a key or mode based on a minor scale and tending to produce a sad or pensive effect. A minor share of the profits.
negligible	So small or unimportant as to be not worth considering; insignificant. He said that the risks were negligible.
newbie	Any new participant in some activity.
novice	A person new to and inexperienced in a job or situation. The novice hurdles.
only	Being the only one single and isolated from others. He was only a child.
pittance	A very small or inadequate amount of money. They work all day for a mere pittance.
rookie	An awkward and inexperienced youth. A rookie cop.
several	Separate or respective. The two levels of government sort out their several responsibilities.
simple	Exhibiting childlike simplicity and credulity. A simple country schoolhouse.
simply	Absolutely; completely (used for emphasis. Quite simply some things have to be taught.
slight	(of a person or their build) not sturdy; thin or slender. There s a slight chance it will work.
smattering	A slight superficial knowledge of a language or subject. Edward had only a smattering of Welsh.
some	To some extent quite a lot. He was still some distance away.
soupcon	A slight but appreciable amount.
trifle	A cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate. He had trifled away two months at a task which should have taken a week.
trifling	Unimportant or trivial. A trifling matter.
tyro	Someone new to a field or activity.