1
as in just
for nothing other than
you're doing that only to annoy me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
as in one
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of only
Mac Engel
january 13, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026
Even as the Texans turned the ball over three times between the first half and the third quarter, the Steelers could only muster up three points.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 15 Jan. 2026
After three seasons without a ride, Nathan Outteridge rejoins the fray as skipper of the only new team for Season 6, Artemis from Sweden.
—Andrew Rice, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for only
Adverb
Questioning Indiana’s football success as ‘legit’ The relationship between paranoia, technology and conspiracy theories is the ménage à trois that now is not only G-rated but unavoidable from politics to sports.
—Mac Engel
january 13, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026
Even as the Texans turned the ball over three times between the first half and the third quarter, the Steelers could only muster up three points.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Larson, who faces his most competitive primary since his first election in 1998, is so far the only member of Connecticut’s House delegation to sign on to the effort.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 15 Jan. 2026
After three seasons without a ride, Nathan Outteridge rejoins the fray as skipper of the only new team for Season 6, Artemis from Sweden.
—Andrew Rice, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for only
Recent Examples of Synonyms for only
Adverb
-
Residents near the park, located off David Drive in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood, said they were awakened just before midnight by gunfire and emergency sirens.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Designed to bridge the gap between automotive ease and aerospace innovation, the vehicle targets consumers looking for adventure rather than just urban commuting.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Collins has been showing a more robust side of his all-around game lately, especially his shooting from the perimeter.—
Janis Carr,
Daily News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Francesco Carta/Getty Images Silver has been catching investors' eyes lately and for good reason.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
At West Ham, Nuno has aligned himself with a club where the problems run so much deeper than merely trying to prevent the chilly fingers of relegation from closing round their neck.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
But Huddleston disagreed, saying the charter governs spending money but doesn’t apply to merely appropriating it.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And for mornings, Butchertown Grocery Bakery anchors the day with excellent pastries, especially the flaky biscuits, and local coffee—no reinvention necessary.—
Hannah Howard,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Once again, marble and soapstone, cited above, are excellent alternatives that will stand the test of time despite constant wear and tear.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
15 Jan. 2026
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
-
Gone are the days of relying on Spanx solely for its shapewear.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The filing underscores the administration’s position that immigration enforcement and foreign policy decisions cannot be disentangled from national security concerns and that all of those are solely under the federal government’s purview.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Following the weekend our next big change will be another extended Arctic Blast late next week.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The Kings came back to cut the deficit to one on a few occasions late in the first half.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Only.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/only. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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