merely to discover

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "merely to discover" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that the purpose of an action is simply to find out or learn something without any additional implications. Example: "The goal of the experiment was merely to discover the effects of temperature on the reaction rate."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

It takes time and trouble merely to discover what permits a business needs.

The Economist

His life's mission as a psychologist has not been merely to discover imperfect correlations; he has sought to actively transform the lives of the powerless.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Daft as it sounds, merely to discover the identity of a blogger the paper had gone to the extremes of hiring a New York academic described as the world's number one 'textual Ghostbuster', an expert previously brought in to study Monica Lewinsky's writings.

The Guardian - Tech

The object of modern biodiversity research is not, of course, merely to discover new species.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

I noticed a light bulb on the ceiling and said something about how great that she has electricity only to discover that it was merely a prop for 'decoration'decoration

Huffington Post

Touring the electronic shops is still an entertainment in itself: I was merely surprised to discover I didn't actually want to buy anything.

The Guardian - Travel

By R. Davidson The New Yorker, September 20 , 1969P. 48 An illustrated article, the text of which follows: When empty boxes represented life and water pitchers became instruments of torture, it seemed reasonable, also, then, that to become independently wealthy it would be merely necessary to discover a use for beer-can tab openers.

The New Yorker

The thought is that on the robust concern view the lover merely tries to discover what the beloved's well-being consists in and then acts to promote that, potentially by thwarting the beloved's own efforts when the lover thinks those efforts would harm her well-being.

SEP

The process of learning to perceive shape does not transform our colour sensations and lead them to acquire properties they did not previously have; it merely leads us to discover ones that were there all along.

SEP

Well, this one's a no-brainer, eh? Representative Anthony Weiner is merely the latest to discover that "private" electronic communications are never quite as private as they seem at the time.

Huffington Post

Nor is wisdom's value merely instrumental to discovering what is good for one.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "merely to discover" to downplay the effort or significance of an act of finding something out. It suggests the discovery is simple or incidental to a larger goal.

Common error

Avoid using "merely to discover" when the act of discovery is actually significant or requires considerable effort. Using it in such contexts can diminish the achievement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "merely to discover" functions as an infinitive of purpose, modifying a verb to indicate the reason or goal behind an action. It suggests the action's primary aim is simply to find or learn something, often implying a lack of further intent or complexity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66.66%

Science

33.33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "merely to discover" is a phrase used to indicate that the sole purpose of an action is to find something out, often implying a lack of complexity or ulterior motives. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically correct, although its usage is relatively rare. This phrase is more commonly found in news and media contexts and can be replaced by similar expressions like "simply to find" or "only to reveal" to achieve similar effects. Use it to downplay the effort involved in a discovery, but avoid using it when the discovery is genuinely significant.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

simply to find

Emphasizes ease and lack of complexity in the act of finding.

just to uncover

Highlights the act of making something known that was previously hidden, but in a simple way.

only to reveal

Focuses on the act of revelation as the sole purpose.

purely to ascertain

Indicates the act of finding something out for sure, with no other motive.

solely to unearth

Emphasizes digging up something previously buried or unknown, but as the single aim.

merely for discovery

Highlights that the intention is discovery itself, devoid of any ulterior motives or actions beyond that.

no other reason than to find out

Highlights a focus on knowing something for the sake of it.

exclusively to detect

Underscores detection as the only purpose.

merely with the intention to learn

Replaces "discover" with learn and adds intention.

simply with the goal of detection

Replaces "discover" with detect and adds the word goal

FAQs

What does "merely to discover" mean?

The phrase "merely to discover" suggests that the only or primary purpose is to find something out, often implying the discovery is simple or incidental.

How can I rephrase "merely to discover"?

You can use alternatives like "simply to find", "just to uncover", or "only to reveal" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "merely to discover" in formal writing?

Yes, "merely to discover" is appropriate for formal writing, especially when you want to suggest that an action's purpose is primarily to find or learn something without further implications. Ludwig AI confirms this is correct.

What are some contexts where "merely to discover" might be used?

"Merely to discover" can be used in scientific research, news reporting, or general discussions to emphasize that the intention is solely to find something out. For example: "The experiment was conducted "simply to find" out the reaction time".