merely to indicate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "merely to indicate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to express that something is done simply for the purpose of showing or pointing out something without any additional implications. Example: "The chart is included merely to indicate the trends in sales over the past year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

This is not to accuse Mr. Springsteen of being a fake, but merely to indicate that popular culture thrives on some sort of healthy hypocrisy.

The New York Times

"A Trip to the Stars" is on the whole a strongly written novel; I point to these uncharacteristically slack phrases merely to indicate that the rendering of the subtleties of emotional life is not Christopher's goal.

The New York Times - Books

Verbalisation involves re-analysing the entire coverb - including its suffix -ma, which serves merely to indicate that it is unmarked for aspect - as a verb root, and then to apply the usual obligatory verbal inflection affixes for person, number and tense.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

We merely wish to indicate plausibly how all conceptions of geometry may be traced back to that of distance.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The distinction between similar and dissimilar classes is made and the word merely applied to indicate this understood distinction.

SEP

We compiled a measure of students' acceptance of evolution in which they merely had to indicate whether they agreed that evolutionary principles explained the origin of diverse species (including humans).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

The above examples merely serve to indicate the potential for ecological clonality and trait research to tackle important new questions related to the impact of clonal plants on ecosystem services and, thereby, on biodiversity.

Annals of Botany

As this article aims to review mortality data sources and not results from these sources, Fig. 1 is merely provided to indicate the variety of data sources available for estimating adult mortality, specifically the probability of dying between ages 15 and 50 (35 q 15).

Global Health Action

When we stated that "Classifiers for TFs which include ChIP data do not necessarily perform better or worse than those without it" we merely meant to indicate that the measured accuracy or PPV of our method did not seem to depend on the source of the input data.

Biology Direct

If consent were required, the administration told the justices, "foreign governments could prevent the United States from repatriating their nationals merely be failing to indicate acceptance of the repatriation".

The New York Times

Trademarks are merely the right to indicate the origin of a product or service.Susan Scafidi of Fordham University School of Law in New York says that the judge sidestepped the important question by boiling the argument down to aesthetic functionality.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "merely to indicate" to subtly downplay the significance of an action or statement, suggesting its purpose is limited to pointing something out without further implications. This is useful when presenting data or observations that might be misinterpreted as having broader consequences.

Common error

Avoid using "merely to indicate" when the intention is actually to imply a stronger conclusion or consequence. Using it in such cases can create a disconnect between your words and your true meaning, potentially confusing or misleading the reader. Ensure the action genuinely has limited scope.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "merely to indicate" functions as a purpose connector, linking an action or statement to its limited intention. It clarifies that the sole aim is to point something out, as Ludwig's examples demonstrate, without suggesting further implications or consequences. It serves to downplay the significance of the action being described.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "merely to indicate" is a phrase used to express that something is done for the simple purpose of showing or pointing out something without any additional implications. According to Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct but rare in occurrence. The most common context for "merely to indicate" includes Science, News & Media, and Encyclopedias. Use this phrase when you want to limit the scope of your statement, ensuring the audience understands that your intention is purely for indication and nothing more. Be mindful not to use it if you intend to imply a stronger conclusion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

simply to indicate

Replaces "merely" with "simply", emphasizing the straightforward nature of the indication.

just to indicate

Uses "just" instead of "merely" for a slightly more casual tone, highlighting the limited intent.

only to indicate

Emphasizes exclusivity, suggesting there is no other reason beyond indicating.

solely to indicate

Similar to "only to indicate" but more formal, reinforcing the single purpose.

primarily to indicate

Highlights the main purpose as indication, though other minor purposes might exist.

mainly to indicate

Similar to "primarily to indicate", suggesting indication is the chief aim.

chiefly to indicate

A more formal alternative, emphasizing that indication is the principal aim.

largely to indicate

Indicates that indication is the predominant purpose, though not necessarily the only one.

mostly to indicate

Suggests that the primary intention is indication, with possible minor secondary intentions.

principally to indicate

Another formal alternative stressing the main intention is to indicate.

FAQs

How can I use "merely to indicate" in a sentence?

The phrase "merely to indicate" is used to show that something is done for the sole purpose of pointing something out, without implying any further action or consequences. For example, "The data is presented "merely to indicate" a trend, not to prove causation."

What are some alternatives to "merely to indicate"?

Alternatives include "simply to indicate", "just to indicate", or "only to indicate". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use "merely to indicate" or "simply to indicate"?

Both "merely to indicate" and "simply to indicate" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. "Merely" is slightly more formal than "simply", but the choice depends on the tone and context of your writing.

When should I avoid using "merely to indicate"?

Avoid using "merely to indicate" if the purpose of indicating something is not limited. If there are additional intentions or implications beyond simply pointing something out, a different phrase would be more appropriate.