mere Synonyms & Antonyms
Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.
Mere as an Adjective
Just, only; no more than, pure and simple, neither more nor better than might be expected.
The mere thought of pineapple on pizza makes me want to throw up.
Pure, unalloyed .
Nothing less than; complete, downright .
Famous.
Mere as a Noun
Boundary, limit; a boundary-marker; boundary-line.
Synonym of sea, a large body of salt water.
Synonym of inlet, an arm of the sea.
A body of standing water, inclusive of lakes, ponds, and pools, especially any broad and shallow one.
Synonym of marsh.
Alternative form of mayor and mair.
A Maori war-club.
A body of standing water, such as a lake or a pond. More specifically, it can refer to a lake that is broad in relation to its depth. Also included in place names such as Windermere.
Mere as a Verb
To limit; bound; divide or cause division in.
To set divisions and bounds.
To decide upon the position of a boundary; to position it on a map.
Mere in a Sentence
The mere thought of pineapple on pizza makes me want to throw up.
The mere suggestion that the queen’s brother tried to kill your boy would be considered treason.
Word Forms & Grammar
mere (comparative merer, superlative merest)
mere (plural meres)
mere (third-person singular simple present meres, present participle mering, simple past and past participle mered)
Words That Rhyme With Mere
Origin of Mere
Origin 1: 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”).
Origin 2: 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.
Origin 3: 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”).
Origin 4: 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”).
Mere: Key Facts
| Part of speech | adjective, noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /mɪə̯/ |
| Meaning | Just, only; no more than, pure and simple, neither more nor better than might be expected |
| Plural | meres |
| Comparative / superlative | merer, merest |
| Verb forms | meres, mering, mered |
Quick Answers About Mere
Is mere an adjective or a noun?
Mere is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as a noun and a verb.
What is the plural of mere?
The plural of mere is meres.
What is the past tense of mere?
The past tense of mere is mered. The present participle is mering.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of mere?
The comparative form is merer and the superlative form is merest.