merely twice

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "merely twice" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something occurred only two times, often in a context where the speaker wants to downplay the significance of that occurrence. Example: "The experiment was repeated merely twice before the results were deemed conclusive."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

With the loan, it will take merely twice as long.

The Economist

Your correspondent, for one, would welcome the chance to pay proportionately more to water his garden once a day instead of merely twice a week.

The Economist

Congregations that figure out how to carry the ageless faith along these new highways will find significant numbers of Creasters marching with them on a far more regular basis than merely twice a year.

Huffington Post

Sciuromorphy evolved merely twice (once in Sciuridae and once in Castorimorpha) but it is noteworthy that the four zygommasseteric arrangements found in the Sciuromorpha clade is an unique case among rodents since other major suprafamilial groupings are characterized by one or two types at most.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Calling it merely 2,160p could make Ultra HD seem only twice as good as HDTV's 1,080p, while 4K suggests it really is four times better.

The Economist

It's barely even biblical, appearing only twice in the New Testament (and one of those times merely tells where it was first said).

The Guardian - Opinion

Only twice.

Forbes

"Boiled down, everything we have in mind can be accomplished without any fuss and difficulty if every one, in a spirit of cooperation, courtesy and neighborliness, merely thinks twice before causing any kind of noise which might grate on the ears of the other fellow or among his neighbors," he said.

The New York Times

But according to an online BBC Sport report, a Jordan spokeswoman seeking to cool the rumor engine said the pair had merely met twice: at a Grand Prix and at a soccer game.

Forbes

I've merely had cancer lite (twice: prostate and thyroid).

Huffington Post

Sension was merely admonished at least twice during those decades before finally being whipped, fined, and shamed.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "merely twice" to subtly downplay the frequency of an event or action, suggesting it is not significant or substantial. It works well when contrasting with an expectation of higher frequency.

Common error

Avoid using "merely twice" in highly formal or academic writing where a more precise or neutral tone is preferred. Options like "only twice" or "on two occasions" might be more suitable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "merely twice" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifically modifying a verb or verb phrase to indicate frequency. It emphasizes the limited number of times an action occurred. Ludwig examples confirm its use in various contexts to downplay the significance of a repeated event.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "merely twice" serves to downplay the number of times something has occurred, implying it is an insignificant amount. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and can be used in various contexts, although it appears more frequently in News & Media sources. For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives such as "only on two occasions". When using "merely twice", ensure that downplaying the frequency aligns with your intended message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

only two times

Emphasizes the numerical limitation more directly than the original phrase.

just twice

Uses "just" to convey a sense of minimal occurrence.

simply twice

Replaces "merely" with "simply" to express the uncomplicated nature of the frequency.

a mere couple of times

Replaces the precise "twice" with the more general "couple of times", softening the numerical aspect.

only on two occasions

Formal rephrasing emphasizing the occasions rather than the number.

a scant two times

"Scant" stresses the inadequacy or insufficiency of the number of occurrences.

barely twice

"Barely" suggests that the action or event only just managed to occur twice.

no more than twice

Highlights the upper limit of the occurrences.

at most twice

Indicates the maximum number of occurrences, similar to "no more than twice".

on a couple of occasions at most

Combines a less precise measure (a couple of occasions) with an upper limit.

FAQs

How can I use "merely twice" in a sentence?

You can use "merely twice" to emphasize that something happened only two times, suggesting it was infrequent or insignificant. For example, "The experiment was repeated "merely twice" before the results were considered conclusive."

What phrases are similar to "merely twice"?

Alternatives include "only two times", "just twice", or "simply twice". These alternatives convey a similar sense of limited occurrence.

Is "merely twice" suitable for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "merely twice" might sound less formal. In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "only on two occasions" or "at most twice" to maintain a more professional tone.

What is the difference between "merely twice" and "only twice"?

"Merely twice" and "only twice" are very similar, but "merely twice" may carry a slightly stronger implication that the number of occurrences was surprisingly low or insufficient. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.