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
There’s something extra fascinating about cold cases, if only because of the mystery factor.
—
James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
São Paulo, the most populous city in the Americas, has become the symbolic epicenter of this housing struggle, if only for the cruel irony of having more vacant dwellings than unsheltered people.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
After weeks of rain, record highs and more rain, the Treasure Valley finally saw some snow Saturday, if only for a few minutes and a couple of days late for the holidays.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 27 Dec. 2025
The agreement changed Iran’s international environment (if only temporarily).
—Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2025
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James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
São Paulo, the most populous city in the Americas, has become the symbolic epicenter of this housing struggle, if only for the cruel irony of having more vacant dwellings than unsheltered people.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
After weeks of rain, record highs and more rain, the Treasure Valley finally saw some snow Saturday, if only for a few minutes and a couple of days late for the holidays.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 27 Dec. 2025
The agreement changed Iran’s international environment (if only temporarily).
—Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 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 8 Jan. 2026.
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