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
Many of those deaths, some historians now suggest, were avoidable if only the crew and passengers had not been convinced of the vessel's invincibility.
—
Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 25 Aug. 2025
While the compilation is tumbling — if only slightly — Queen’s Greatest Hits celebrates 400 weeks on both rock-specific rosters.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
But the drop is even greater if only foreign tourists are counted, without Cuban visitors.
—Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
Now, if only the staff remembered to throw the traps out, the inspector wouldn’t have cited the restaurant.
—David J. Neal
updated August 22, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for if only
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Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 25 Aug. 2025
While the compilation is tumbling — if only slightly — Queen’s Greatest Hits celebrates 400 weeks on both rock-specific rosters.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
But the drop is even greater if only foreign tourists are counted, without Cuban visitors.
—Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
Now, if only the staff remembered to throw the traps out, the inspector wouldn’t have cited the restaurant.
—David J. Neal
updated August 22, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 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 28 Aug. 2025.
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