mere

Universal Words adjective, noun adjective [onlybeforenoun] (superlative merest, no comparative) 1 used when you want to emphasize how small, unimportant, etc. sb/sth is: It took her a mere 20 minutes to win. * A mere 2% of their budget has been spent on publicity. * He seemed so young, a mere boy. * You've got the job. The interview will be a mere formality. 2 used when you are saying that the fact that a particular thing is present in a situation is enough to have an influence on that situation: His mere presence (= just the fact that he was there) made her feel afraid. * The mere fact that they were prepared to talk was encouraging. * The mere thought of eating made him feel sick. * The merest (= the slightest) noise is enough to wake her. noun (BrE, literary) (also used in names) a small lake