Just vs Merely vs Only vs Simply vs There's nothing but

Quand utiliser chacun en anglais, avec le sens, le registre et des exemples.

Just

Top 1000 (très courant) A1 adverb

Merely

Top 2000 (courant) C1 adverb

Only

Top 1000 (très courant) A1 adjective

Simply

Top 1000 (très courant) B1 adverb

There's nothing but

Top 2000 (courant)

	Just	Merely	Only	Simply	There's nothing but
Prononciation	🇬🇧 /["/dʒʌst/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/dʒʌst/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈmɪəli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈmɪrli/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈəʊnli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈəʊnli/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈsɪmpli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈsɪmpli/"]/	🇬🇧 //ðɛrz ˈnʌθɪŋ bʌt// 🇺🇸 //ðɛrz ˈnʌθɪŋ bʌt//
Sens	Only or exactly.	Juste ou seulement only or just	just one or a single type of something	d'une manière simple et directe in a straightforward way	Il n'y a que ça et pas d'autres options. There is only this and no other options.
Exemple	I just finished my homework.	It is **not merely** a job, but a way of life.	She is the only person I trust.	You can simply follow the instructions to complete the task.	There's nothing but silence in the empty room.
Registre	Neutre	Neutre	Neutre	Neutre	Neutre
Fréquence	Top 1000 (très courant)	Top 2000 (courant)	Top 1000 (très courant)	Top 1000 (très courant)	Top 2000 (courant)
Niveau CEFR	A1	C1	A1	B1	-
Nature grammaticale	adverb	adverb	adjective	adverb
Collocations	just finished, just in case, just a moment	merely a suggestion, merely a formality, merely a coincidence	only one, only child, only option, only when, only time	simply say, simply put, simply amazing, simply stated, simply because	there's nothing but trouble, there's nothing but time, there's nothing but excuses
Antonymes	unjust, unfair	significantly, substantially, greatly	multiple, various, some	complicated, complex	-
Erreurs fréquentes	Confused with 'fair' meaning just/balanced., Overused in formal contexts., Misplaced 'just' leading to unclear sentences.	Using 'merely' in overly formal situations where simpler language is preferred., Mixing 'merely' with negative meanings when it should indicate neutrality., Confusing 'merely' with 'barely' which implies a lesser degree.	Using 'only' in the wrong position, changing the meaning., Confusing 'the only' with 'only'., Overusing 'only', leading to awkward sentences.	Using 'simply' in overly complex sentences., Confusing 'simply' with 'just' in different contexts., Misplacing 'simply' in a sentence, making it unclear.	Using 'There's nothing but' in a positive context., Misplacing the phrase in a sentence, resulting in unclear meaning.
Notes d'usage	Use 'just' to indicate something that is recent or to emphasize that something is the only thing or the most simple example. It might be informal or casual when used in conversations.	On utilise 'merely' pour insister sur le fait que quelque chose est simple ou pas très important. Ça passe bien à l'oral comme à l'écrit, mais évite de l'utiliser dans des conversations très décontractées. Use 'merely' to emphasize that something is simple or not important. It fits well in both spoken and written contexts, but avoid using it in very casual conversations.	Use 'only' to restrict meaning. It’s often used to clarify that nothing else is included. Avoid using it excessively, as it can sound limiting or exclusive.	Utilisez 'simplement' pour souligner la clarté ou pour dire quelque chose de manière facile. C'est neutre, donc ça peut être utilisé dans divers contextes, mais évitez dans l'écriture formelle quand vous parlez de sujets complexes. Use 'simply' to emphasize clarity or to say something in an easy way. It’s neutral, so it can be used in various contexts, but avoid in formal writing when discussing complex topics.	Couramment utilisé dans des contextes négatifs pour souligner un manque de diversité ou d'alternatives. Convient à l'anglais parlé et écrit. Commonly used in negative contexts to emphasize a lack of diversity or alternatives. Suitable for both spoken and written English.

Vois-le dans de vrais extraits

Top Gear › S1 E1

And the changes are much more than merely cosmetic.

Merely

Top Gear › S1 E1

Then we simply fold the seats down,

simply because he knew how to handle a knife.

Sherlock › S1 E1

This petty feud between us is simply childish. People will suffer.

Top Gear › S1 E1

Then we simply fold the seats down,

simply because he knew how to handle a knife.

Simply

Questions fréquentes : Just vs Merely vs Only vs Simply vs There's nothing but

Quelle est la différence entre Just, Merely, Only, Simply et There's nothing but ?

Just: Only or exactly. Merely: only or just Only: just one or a single type of something Simply: in a straightforward way There's nothing but: There is only this and no other options.

Lequel est le plus avancé : Just, Merely, Only, Simply et There's nothing but ?

Merely est le niveau le plus élevé, à C1, sur l'échelle CEFR.

Peux-tu montrer un exemple de chacun ?

Just: I just finished my homework. Merely: It is **not merely** a job, but a way of life. Only: She is the only person I trust. Simply: You can simply follow the instructions to complete the task. There's nothing but: There's nothing but silence in the empty room.

Puis-je utiliser Just, Merely, Only, Simply et There's nothing but de façon interchangeable ?

Pas toujours. Just, Merely, Only, Simply et There's nothing but sont proches et se recoupent parfois, mais elles diffèrent par le registre, la fréquence et l'usage, donc remplacer l'une par l'autre peut changer le sens ou le ton. Regarde les différences ci-dessus avant de substituer.