So he merely assumed an air of interest and waited for her to go on.

"Everyone merely assumes the worst and lets it go at that."

Without merely assuming equality, there seems to be no way of coming to prefer one approach over the other.

He need not have asked for their support, he knew, but merely assumed it.

He had actually seen only three men, had merely assumed the presence of others.

I merely assumed the leader would have more than half a brain.

"I merely assume that you have come to tell me something and I wonder what it is."

I merely assumed, Mother, that you had forgotten to tell her to wear them.

"His lordship will merely assume your colonel never received the letter."

They merely assumed that the odd-looking boy had somewhere learned to play, after a fashion.