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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of only
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2026
Andrea Schumacher, the founder of Andrea Schumacher Interiors, agrees that dining rooms that only contain antique furniture and decor are automatically going to look dated.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 13 June 2026
Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Young accounted for the game’s only non-homer RBI with a game-tying fifth-inning single.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for only
Adverb
His nagging hamstring strain prevents him pretty much only from running full speed, but that was enough to land him on the 10-day IL.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2026
Andrea Schumacher, the founder of Andrea Schumacher Interiors, agrees that dining rooms that only contain antique furniture and decor are automatically going to look dated.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 13 June 2026
Adjective
Chef Edward Lee leads one of the only plastic-free fine dining restaurants in the world.
—Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Young accounted for the game’s only non-homer RBI with a game-tying fifth-inning single.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for only
Recent Examples of Synonyms for only
Adverb
-
And Kemp shed his vow of neutrality to back the lieutenant governor just two days before the runoff.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
-
Lucy passed away just a month before her second birthday from a brain hemorrhage — cancer-free.—
Siafa Lewis,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Adverb
-
But there have been a lot of huge moments here lately.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
-
There haven’t been as many high rise proposals for downtown lately, which may be due to the lending environment, said Downtown Fort Worth Inc.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2026
Adverb
-
Whether those disputes are merely differences in public messaging, or reflect something deeper that could cause the agreement to collapse, remains unclear.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
But in a city that has to compete nationally with New York, Washington and Los Angeles for young talent, that advance from being merely a regional capital meant something here.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Marquinhos — Brazil/PSG The grizzled leader of PSG’s excellent defence occupies a similar role for Brazil, and his partnership with Gabriel will be the foundation for any deep World Cup run.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
-
Watts got another excellent chance in the waning seconds, but the Patriots defense forced the shot to go wide.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
11 June 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
-
The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.—
Isabella Backman,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
-
As its name suggests, the Official Vinyl Albums rundown looks solely at purchases on wax.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Adverb
-
While Reaves returned for the conference semifinals, Doncic was unable to recover in time to rejoin the starting lineup at any point in the postseason after suffering a hamstring injury late in the regular season.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
-
Both teams had chances to break the tie late in the first half.—
Iliana Limón Romero,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Only.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/only. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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