simply

English

Etymology

From Middle English symply, symplely; equivalent to simple +‎ -ly, with *-lely simplified to -ly by haplology.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɪmpli/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adverb

simply (comparative more simply, superlative most simply)

1. (manner) In a simple way or state; considered in or by itself; without addition; alone.

   Antonym: complexly

2. (manner) Plainly; without art or subtlety

   Synonyms: clearly, obviously, unquestionably

3. (manner) Weakly; foolishly; stupidly.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Johnson to this entry?)

4. (focus) Merely; solely.

   Synonyms: just; see also Thesaurus:merely

   • 2013 June 1, “Ideas coming down the track”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 13 (Technology Quarterly):

     A “moving platform” scheme […] is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails. […] This set-up solves several problems […]. Stopping high-speed trains wastes energy and time, so why not simply slow them down enough for a moving platform to pull alongside?

   • 2019 May 21, Dylan Curran, “Facial recognition will soon be everywhere. Are we prepared?”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     Rather than scanning a boarding pass or handing over a passport, you simply stare into a camera and you’re verified.

   I was simply asking a question.

5. (degree) absolutely, positively.

   That was a simply wonderful dessert.

   Synonyms: very; see also Thesaurus:very

6. (speech act) Frankly.

   Simply, he just fired you.

   Synonyms: honestly; see also Thesaurus:actually

Related terms

• single

Translations

in a simple manner

• Basque: apalki
• Catalan: simplement (ca), senzillament (ca)
• Esperanto: simple (eo)
• Finnish: yksinkertaisesti (fi)
• French: simplement (fr)
• Galician: simplemente
• German: einfach (de)
• Greek: απλά (el) (aplá)
• Hungarian: egyszerűen (hu)
• Icelandic: einfaldlega (is)
• Italian: semplicemente (it), in parole povere
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Lithuanian: tiesiog
• Norman: sîmpliément
• Norwegian: rett og slett, ganske enkelt, intet mindre enn

  Bokmål: simpelthen

• Polish: prosto (pl), po prostu (pl)
• Portuguese: simplesmente (pt)
• Russian: про́сто (ru) (prósto)
• Serbo-Croatian: naprosto (sh)
• Spanish: simplemente (es), sencillamente (es)
• Swedish: helt enkelt

merely, solely

• Finnish: vain (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: modo (la)
• Spanish: simplemente (es)

Anagrams

• limpsy

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Middle English

Adverb

simply

1. Alternative form of symply (adverb)