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
What if only one person in your party drinks alcohol?
—
Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Styles warmed them up, if only for a few minutes.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2026
Their primes briefly overlapped, if only for a couple of years while James was transitioning out of his.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
So yeah, things are looking up for the Norris family, if only for a moment.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for if only
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Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Styles warmed them up, if only for a few minutes.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2026
Their primes briefly overlapped, if only for a couple of years while James was transitioning out of his.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
So yeah, things are looking up for the Norris family, if only for a moment.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 19 Jan. 2026
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 29 Jan. 2026.
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