only wish/want/hope

phrase

—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

The Stallions’ only hope after the Osterloh free throws was a long inbounds pass that some San Juan Hills player could tap in. — Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026

Investors can only hope the Groq transaction ends up being anywhere near as successful as Mellanox. — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026

Now, the reeling Longhorns can only hope the defeat isn’t the last game of the season for a team that finds itself back on the NCAA Tournament bubble. — Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026

The Bears can only hope that Moore’s Packer-killing touchdowns will resonate years down the road as the start of a dynastic run that includes Super Bowls and parades. — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026