What's the difference between merely and nearly?

Merely


Definition:

  • (adv.) Purely; unmixedly; absolutely.
  • (adv.) Not otherwise than; simply; barely; only.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Interphase death thus involves a discrete, abrupt transition from the normal state and is not merely the consequence of progressive and degenerative changes.
  • (2) By way of major complications, merely one perforation occurred.
  • (3) Indeed, the nationalist and religious right bloc merely held steady , gaining just one seat.
  • (4) A brief review of the last decade or so of developments in health politics, policy and law suggests that health is no longer a field of mere "dynamics without change."
  • (5) The view that testes found lateral to the external ring and which could be pushed some way into the scrotum were merely retractile was questioned.
  • (6) In these three patients, laxity of the knee in flexion was so severe that posterior instability could not be corrected merely by patellar relocation.
  • (7) It has so far returned a mere $6m (£3.6m) of its relatively meagre $28m (£17.1m) budget, according to Forbes, a percentage of just 21%.
  • (8) In the literature this disease is presented merely as a metastasis.
  • (9) The plasmid-encoded activity does not merely replace the RecBCD enzyme failure but differs in several significant ways.
  • (10) Furthermore, changes between merely perceived identical parts can result in apparent depth.
  • (11) Thus, the long stalks of Sk1 or phosphate-starved caulobacters are not merely a function of their longer doubling times.
  • (12) Exogenous macromolecular DNA was able to repair, to an important degree the radiotoxic effect of 3H-thymidine on V79 cells by a mechanism other than the mere reduction of specific activity of 3H-thymidine.
  • (13) Multiple contacts between the gamma-subunit and calmodulin (delta-subunit), as indicated by our data, may help to explain why strongly denaturing conditions are required to dissociate these two subunits, whereas complexes of calmodulin with most other target enzymes can be readily dissociated by merely lowering Ca2+ to submicromolar concentrations.
  • (14) Scott insisted he was an abstract painter in the way he felt Chardin was too: the pans and fruit were uninteresting in themselves; they were merely "the means of making a picture", which was a study in space, form and colour.
  • (15) The charity Bite the Ballot , which persuaded hundreds of thousands to register before the last general election, is to set up “democracy cafes” in Starbucks branches, laying on experts to explain how to register and vote, and what the referendum is all about (Bite the Ballot does not take sides but merely encourages participation).
  • (16) These outcomes further supported the conclusion that the contextual stimuli exerted true conditional control over conditional relations in the equivalence classes and were not merely elements of compound stimuli.
  • (17) A mere glance at the time courses shows what reaction schemes are inapplicable.
  • (18) Since the discovery of the antidepressant effects of interventions in the sleep-wake cycle, a number of hypotheses have emerged according to which disturbances in sleep physiology are not merely expressions but essential components of the pathophysiology of depression.
  • (19) In a Facebook post , the songwriter and activist claims that Swift has merely chosen sides in the battle between Google and Spotify, saying that the singer was trying to “sell this corporate power play to us as some sort of altruistic gesture in solidarity with struggling music makers”.
  • (20) It is assumed that one function of grooming behaviour may be a merely cleansing one.

Nearly


Definition:

  • (adv.) In a near manner; not remotely; closely; intimately; almost.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The only other evidence of Kopachi's existence is the primary school near the memorial.
  • (2) Induction of labor, based upon only (1) a finding of meconium in the amniocentesis group or (2) a positive test in the OCT group, was nearly three times more frequent in the amniocentesis group.
  • (3) Two small populations of GLY + neurons were observed outside of the named nuclei of the SOC; one was located dorsal to the LSO, near its dorsal hilus, and the other was identified near the medial pole of the LSO.
  • (4) However, when conjugated to an antigen-bearing cell, a "non-antigen bearing" cell was labeled near the cell interaction area.
  • (5) While it is true that Clinton’s favorability rating is languishing among all voters, her favorability among Democrats is as robust as Biden’s, at nearly 75% .
  • (6) Accidentally discovered nearly 40 years ago as the first true antidepressants, the MAOIs soon fell into disfavor due to concerns about toxicity and seemingly lesser efficacy compared with the newer tricyclic compounds.
  • (7) The decline in the frequency of serious complications was primarily due to a decrease in the proportion of patients with open fractures treated with plate osteosynthesis from nearly 50% to 19%.
  • (8) A more substantial decrease was found in Aberdeen and the larger towns near to Aberdeen than in the smaller towns further from the city.
  • (9) Comparative data for the fragments from RNAs 1, 2, and 3 show that they have nearly the same sequence as the RNA 4 fragment.
  • (10) A full-scale war is unlikely but there is clear concern in Seoul about the more realistic threat of a small-scale attack on the South Korean military or a group of islands near the countries' disputed maritime border in the Yellow Sea.
  • (11) Fractures which occur near the base of the dens have a low propensity to unite spontaneously.
  • (12) The M 13 specific DNA present in minicells isolated several hours after infection consists of single stranded viral DNA and double stranded replicative forms in nearly equal amounts.
  • (13) Simple cells that are nearly equally dominated by each eye always exhibit strong phase-specific interaction.
  • (14) According to the OFT, banks receive up to £3.5bn a year in unauthorised overdraft fees - nearly £10m a day.
  • (15) Liver bloodflow remained unchanged in AS dogs, but hepatic alanine uptake nearly tripled (p less than 0.01) and hepatic glucose production increased by 60% (p less than 0.05).
  • (16) In late May, more than 50 residents of Ust-Usa protested the effects of oil drilling and plans for a new oil well near the village.
  • (17) For consistent identification of the normal pancreas, preliminary longitudinal scanning at, or near, the mid-line and subsequent oblique scanning in the long axis are necessary prerequisites in delineating the anatomic outline of the pancreas.
  • (18) Despite the nearly anaerobic state of the ascites tumor fluid in vivo, cancer cells suspended in this fluid oxidized FFA at least as fast as they do in vitro under aerobic conditions.
  • (19) Pharmaceutical services were provided from a large tent near the hospital, which consisted of an emergency treatment facility, two operating rooms, and a small medical-surgical ward.
  • (20) The experimental conditions were nearly in vivo conditions.