only wish/want/hope
idiom
—used to stress that someone's wishing/wanting/hoping something is the simple truth
He only wished she'd told him sooner.
I only wish I knew what was going on.
He only wanted to help.
I only hope she can get over this.
Examples of only wish/want/hope in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Al Ain's only hope is to pull off the upset, with Juventus already having won today.
—
Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
But death, Spike comes to discover, has a life of its own, and his only hope of saving his mother will hinge on the dawning recognition that out of sight doesn’t have to be the same thing as out of mind.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 June 2025
And with the outlook for an eventual championship looking hazier than maybe ever before, the Oilers can only hope to get another chance.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 18 June 2025
There are no plans to expand currently, and those looking to secure their place among some of the most die-hard country, bluegrass and folk fans in America can only hope to act quickly enough to get their hands on passes.
—Chris Barilla, People.com, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for only wish/want/hope
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Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
But death, Spike comes to discover, has a life of its own, and his only hope of saving his mother will hinge on the dawning recognition that out of sight doesn’t have to be the same thing as out of mind.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 June 2025
And with the outlook for an eventual championship looking hazier than maybe ever before, the Oilers can only hope to get another chance.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 18 June 2025
There are no plans to expand currently, and those looking to secure their place among some of the most die-hard country, bluegrass and folk fans in America can only hope to act quickly enough to get their hands on passes.
—Chris Barilla, People.com, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for only wish/want/hope
Cite this Entry
“Only wish/want/hope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/only%20wish%2Fwant%2Fhope. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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