if only

idiom

used to talk about something that one wants to happen or be true
If only she loved me in return!
If only it would stop raining.

Examples of if only in a Sentence

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.
Nevertheless, waiting and extra mulch insulation can help turn your earthy end-of-season snacks into mild, sweet, and savory treats if only light freezes persist. Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2025 Netflix poses an interesting, if only slightly misleading, question in a new documentary tracing the final chapters of the Expos' history. Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025 But if there was any hope that Taliban authorities might relax their prohibitions on women studying, if only to help other women, it was dashed just two weeks after the earthquake struck. NPR, 14 Oct. 2025 Those pressure points have only amplified the calls from within the GOP conference for Johnson to reconvene the chamber, if only to move legislation to ensure the troops are compensated. Mike Lillis, The Hill, 12 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for if only

Cite this Entry

“If only.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/if%20only. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on if only

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!