The phrase "argued he merely" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where someone is presenting a point of view or a claim, often in a formal or academic setting.
Example: "In his paper, he argued he merely sought to clarify the misconceptions surrounding the theory."
Alternatives: "claimed he simply" or "asserted he only".
In his confession inside the boat, she argued, he was merely parroting the rhetoric of others.
In Sunday's BBC interview, Johnson argued he was merely humouring an irate friend.
The Coalition's campaign spokesman, Mathias Cormann, also defended Hastie, arguing he was merely telling his constituents about his life story including his military service.
Milbury later defended his comment, arguing he was merely providing context for Voynov's suspension.
Unless Mr Romney can learn to enthuse such voters, Mr Luntz argues, he is likely merely to limp towards the nomination.This year's campaign is nothing if not fluid, however.
Critics have argued that he merely said, in a crude and explicit way, what many rightwing Republicans have been saying for years in code resulting in racially charged anger, obstruction in Congress and cancer in the body politic.
Irwin (2008) has recently argued that because he merely extracts the major elements of his theory of morality from other authors, especially Aquinas and Suarez, "Grotius is no pioneer" in the history of ethics (98).
Mr Berlusconi's numerous legal tribulations (see table) have kept prosecutors and his own lawyers busy since the mid-1990s, buthehe Mondadori case was one of the most serious.Ever since Mr Berlusconi was served notice of criminal investigations into his activities when, in 1994, he was Italy's prime minister, he has argued that he is merely the target of politically motivated prosecutors.
But they also persuaded a jury that he was not, as he argued, merely standing around, talking religion — that he had, as Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, put it, a "position in Al Qaeda's homicidal hierarchy" — and was involved enough in Al Qaeda's plans for the future to merit a conspiracy conviction.
The zone of ice near the poles, he argued, was merely a frozen ring surrounding a warm open sea leading to the interior.
