if only

phrase

—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

The game’s an excuse to plant a flag and claim new territory, if only in the mind and, especially, on TV. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026

The result is a nearly hour-long episode — the season’s longest, if only by a couple of minutes — that feels rushed in parts and leisurely in others, and mostly works anyway. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026

Even the pancreas of a character’s unseen wife, the sickness in which AIG promises to double back and cure if only everyone keeps hurtling forward. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026

Still, the haters may want to soften their views, if only because the blockchain technology on which crypto is built may offer solutions to some real problems in the AI world. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

Rhymes for if only

• lonely