(only) time will tell

idiom

—used to say that the results of a situation will be known only after a certain amount of time has passed

"Will he be OK?" "I don't know. Only time will tell."

Examples of (only) time will tell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But time will tell if the businesses can truly bounce back. —Jordan Miller, The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 Sep. 2023

Coach Prime may be legit, and time will tell whether his first Colorado team is the real deal, but after selling out its football stadium for a different sport, Nebraska is now a volleyball school. —Kevin Scarbinsky | , al, 7 Sep. 2023

And, so, time will tell in the coming weeks and months how that’s going to unfold. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2023

Only time will tell if the Swifties can create enough joyful chaos to give her a tenth number one single. —Vulture, 18 Oct. 2023

How many yawns are spread in the course of that research, well, that's something only time will tell. —Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 9 Oct. 2023

Only time will tell what effect -- if any -- the banners will have in both Mexico and the U.S. —Anne Laurent, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2023

It’s been reported that Beyoncé captured the Renaissance World Tour in her hometown of Houston, TX over a two-day period in late September, however only time will tell what makes the final cut of the film. —Shelby Stewart, Essence, 2 Oct. 2023

Only time will tell if Danielle’s prank will ignite a prank war, but things between the spouses appear to be going well otherwise. —Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2023

See More