namely

adverb

name·​ly ˈnām-lē How to pronounce namely (audio)
Synonyms of namely
: that is to say : to wit

Synonyms of namely

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Examples of namely in a Sentence

there's always one person stuck with cleaning up the mess, namely me
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In a blog post published Wednesday, Gates asks technology and political leaders to respond more urgently to threats from AI — namely to create new policies to protect workers and to tax companies based on their use of it. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 The company also explained the steps it's taken to try and prevent a similar event from happening again, namely by improving its security and containment, monitoring, model behavior and incident response. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 Markle and Prince Harry are polarizing figures on both sides of the Atlantic, due in large part to their disclosures about their relationship with other members of the royal family, namely Prince William and King Charles. — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026 Her love for animal print has even bled into her collaborations, namely her Puma by Fenty Creepers. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for namely

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of namely was in the 14th century

Rhymes for namely

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Browse Nearby Words

nameless
namely
name names
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Cite this Entry

“Namely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/namely. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

namely

adverb
name·​ly ˈnām-lē How to pronounce namely (audio)
: that is to say
the cat family, namely, lions, tigers, and related animals
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