only 1 of 3

1
2
3
as in merely
nothing more than I was only fooling when I said I saw a shark in the water

Synonyms & Similar Words

only

2 of 3

adjective

1
as in excellent
having no equal or rival for excellence or desirability the only way to really appreciate the beauty of the forest is to walk through it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

only

3 of 3

conjunction

as in but
if it were not for the fact that that's a very nice idea, only it won't help

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of only
Adverb
And yes, much of it involves harrowing drives on treacherous mountain roads, only a few of which — disappointingly, considering the title — are icy. Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2025 Hegseth's news conference came amid a full-court press from Trump's top officials disputing a preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment that said the bombings may have only set Iran's nuclear program back by a few months. Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 26 June 2025
Adjective
Edgecombe, 19, averaged 15 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists for Baylor in his only collegiate season. Tony Jones, New York Times, 25 June 2025 For now, Denver, Broomfield, Pitkin and Weld counties are the only Colorado counties — out of 64 — with home-rule authority. John Aguilar, Denver Post, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for only
Recent Examples of Synonyms for only
Adverb
  • Tyrone Taylor hit a one-out single off Strider and stole second, and with two outs, Mauricio sent him home for just his third RBI of the season.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 20 June 2025
  • Gener struck out 75 batters in 58 innings while walking just 14.
    Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2025
Adverb
  • The Sox likely will deal starter Adrian Houser before the trade deadline, in case Hoyer hasn’t heard lately from his Winnetka Starbucks buddy, Sox general manager Chris Getz.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2025
  • An electric motorcycle bearing a Honda badge is bound to attract serious attention – and lately, the rumor mill has been buzzing.
    Utkarsh Sood June 29, New Atlas, 29 June 2025
Adverb
  • The court here declined to look at the issue as merely being one of whether an Anti-SLAPP law should apply in federal court or not.
    Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • And, without a control group (no kombucha over those eight weeks), the study merely compares different weight cohorts.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Along the way, there have been some other expressions as well, including single barrel, barrel-proof whiskeys, a series of excellent cask-strength American single malts, and rye whiskeys made with different grain varietals.
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 29 June 2025
  • There are many excellent CRM platforms that are available at a much lower price point and that can serve the needs of most small and mid-sized businesses.
    Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • Drinkwater didn't make one appearance in a Chelsea shirt last season, whilst Bakayoko spent the season in Italy on loan at AC Milan.
    SI.com, SI.com, 3 Aug. 2019
  • Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive.
    Johannes Himmelreich, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Mar. 2018
Conjunction
  • But scientists and doctors say things aren’t that simple — and a belief that exposing children to marijuana, either directly or indirectly, is harmless isn’t supported by the facts.
    Daniel M. Jimenez, The Cannifornian, 22 June 2017
  • But with a full and volatile season behind them, the two have grown closer, prompting check-ins from Bradford last month, seeking tidbits from his coach who watched OTA practices on a tablet from his Kentucky retreat.
    Chad Graff, Twin Cities, 15 June 2017
Adverb
  • Admissions officers can clearly identify a student who has applied to a major solely because of its higher admissions rate.
    Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • The Iranian people look neither to the past nor the current status quo but forward—to a free and democratic future, where legitimacy derives solely from the ballot box.
    Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025
Adverb
  • When Dart was taken late in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, a lot of the follow-up analysis surrounded the idea that the Ole Miss star would have a redshirt season as an NFL rookie.
    Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • The president’s angry messages on Truth Social, sometimes posted early in the morning or very late at night, at times send pundits off in search of which segment on which cable news show angered the president.
    Mark Joyella, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Only.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/only. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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