only

1 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 incomparable, inimitable, matchless, nonpareil, peerless, unequaled (or unequalled), unexampled, unmatched, unparalleled, unrivaled (or unrivalled), unsurpassable, unsurpassed Related Words alone, singular, unique; exceptional, extraordinary, rare, uncommon, unusual; A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, boffo, bonny (also bonnie) [chiefly British], boss [slang], brag, brave, bully, bumper, capital, choice, classic, cool [slang], corking, crackerjack, cracking, dandy, divine, dope [slang], down [slang], dynamite, excellent, fab, fabulous, famous, fantabulous [slang], fantastic, fine, first-class, first-rate, first-string, five-star, frontline, gangbusters (also gangbuster), gone [slang], grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-class, hot, hype [slang], immense, jim-dandy, keen, lovely, marvelous (or marvellous), mean, neat, nifty, noble, number one (also No. 1), numero uno, out-of-sight [slang], par excellence, peachy, peachy keen, phat [slang], prime, primo [slang], prize, prizewinning, quality, radical [slang], righteous [slang], sensational, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, swell, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, wizard [chiefly British], wonderful; better, preferred; exceptional, fancy, high-grade, special Phrases out of sight Near Antonyms common, commonplace, everyday, familiar, frequent, garden, household, normal, ordinary, routine, ubiquitous, usual; inferior, lesser, worse, worst; bad, bastard, bush, bush-league, deficient, depressed, dissatisfactory, ill, inferior, lame, lousy, low, lower, off, paltry, poor, punk, substandard, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wanting; low-grade, substandard; mediocre, second-class, second-rate; atrocious, awful, execrable, pathetic, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched

2 being the one or ones of a class with no other members that is the only possible right answer we were the only passengers on the tour bus Synonyms alone, lone, one, one-off, singular, sole, solitary, special, sui generis, unique Related Words single, solo, unaccompanied, unattended; incomparable, inimitable, matchless, peerless, unequaled (or unequalled), unmatched, unparalleled, unrivaled (or unrivalled), unsurpassable, unsurpassed; distinct, distinctive, individual, separate; nonce Near Antonyms divers, manifold, multifarious, myriad; assorted, heterogenous, miscellaneous, mixed, motley, patchwork, promiscuous, varied; popular, prevailing, prevalent, rampant; perennial, recurrent, repeated

1 for nothing other than you're doing that only to annoy me Synonyms alone, exclusively, just, solely, purely, simplyRelated Words basically, by and large, chiefly, generally, largely, mainly, mostly, predominantly, primarily, principally, substantiallyNear Antonyms additionally, also, besides, likewise

2 not long ago we won the election only six days ago Synonyms freshly, just, late, lately, new, now, newly, recentlyRelated Words latterlyNear Antonyms ago, before, earlier, early, erstwhile, formerly, previously; heretofore, hithertoAntonyms anciently

3 nothing more than I was only fooling when I said I saw a shark in the water Synonyms but, merely, just, purely, simply

if it were not for the fact that that's a very nice idea, only it won't help Synonyms but, except, saving, yet