only

1 of 3

adjective

on·​ly ˈōn-lē 

1

: unquestionably the best : peerless

is convinced that his team is the only one

2

a

: alone in a class or category : sole

the only one left

the only known species

She's the only person you can really trust.

b

: having no brother or sister

an only child

3

: few

one of the only areas not yet explored

That was one of the only times I saw him cry.

only

2 of 3

adverb

1

a

: as a single fact or instance and nothing more or different : merely

has only lost one election

—George Orwell

b

: solely, exclusively

known only to him

2

: at the very least

it was only too true

3

a

: in the final outcome

will only make you sick

b

: with nevertheless the final result

won the battles, only to lose the war

4

a

: as recently as : not before

only last week

only in the last year did she get recognition

b

: in the immediate past

only just talked to her

Placement of Only in a Sentence: Usage Guide

The placement of only in a sentence has been a source of studious commentary since the 18th century, most of it intended to prove by force of argument that prevailing standard usage is wrong. After 200 years of preachment the following observations may be made: the position of only in standard spoken English is not fixed, since ambiguity is avoided through sentence stress; in casual prose that keeps close to the rhythms of speech only is often placed where it would be in speech; and in edited and more formal prose only tends to be placed immediately before the word or words it modifies.

only

3 of 3

conjunction

1

a

: with the restriction that : but

you may go, only come back early

b

: and yet : however

they look very nice, only we can't use them

2

: were it not that : except

I'd introduce you to her, only you'd win her

—Jack London

Synonyms

Adjective

• incomparable
• inimitable
• matchless
• nonpareil
• peerless
• unequaled
• unequalled
• unexampled
• unmatched
• unparalleled
• unrivaled
• unrivalled
• unsurpassable
• unsurpassed

Adverb

• alone
• exclusively
• just
• purely
• simply
• solely

Conjunction

• but
• except
• excepting
• saving
• yet

Examples of only in a Sentence

Adjective

the only way to really appreciate the beauty of the forest is to walk through it

that is the only possible right answer

Adverb

She had been there only twice in her life.

There are only two more weeks until summer vacation.

It's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.

Do you really have to leave? It's only eight o'clock.

He was only a baby when his father died.

Leave her alone. She's only a kid.

The building is only about 10 years old.

It was quiet in the room, but only for a moment.

She is only partly to blame.

The club is for women only.

Conjunction

I'd love to sing along, only I don't know the words.

They did have a radio, only it was broken.

We wanted to buy that painting, only it was far too expensive.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

That means the only alternative to showing up to a polling place on Nov. 5 is to make a plan in advance to vote absentee. —Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024

Porter isn’t the only one who has benefitted from her prolific workload. —Addie Morfoot, Variety, 6 Apr. 2024

Until that decision by the Hornets management, the only other permanent professional sports franchise in the city had been an arena football league team. —Cathie Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 6 Apr. 2024

According to the Washington Post, the driver was okay with only minor injuries but the fish weren’t as lucky. —Kris Millgate, Field & Stream, 5 Apr. 2024

The store will be the only place in North Carolina where such sales are legal. —Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2024

The Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza is the only one equipped to handle major shipments of goods into the territory, and Israel has failed to open it in a meaningful way for aid transfers. —Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024

Among the scientists who flocked to Iowa to see this eclipse was Maria Mitchell and several of her Vassar students—the only all-female group watching the eclipse. —Olivia B. Waxman, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024

The only non-habitable locations for the cat in the state are in the Central Valley and in most of California’s southeastern deserts. —Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024

Adverb

But that only brings us to problem number four—which has nothing to do with engineering and might be harder to solve than all the others. —S. I. Rosenbaum, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2024

As fans have already noted during these first few weeks of the 2024 touring resumption, the setlists tend to be only about 75% set in stone. —Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024

Keep in mind that the survivor will collect only the larger of a couple’s two checks; the smaller benefit goes away. —Liz Weston, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024

Since taking office, Kishida has also positioned Japan as a partner to the US not only in Asia, but more globally. —Hanako Montgomery, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024

On Earth, the two gases only coexist because the biosphere continuously replenishes them. —Elise Cutts, WIRED, 7 Apr. 2024

Such readings deviated only by the smallest amount from Friday, when the high was also 57 but the morning low was a degree less at 40. —Martin Weil, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024

The city charges a 2% hotel, motel tax, but Molly Rawn, Experience Fayetteville chief executive officer, said this increase only takes the lodging revenue into account. —Lydia Fletcher, arkansasonline.com, 7 Apr. 2024

Seaweed farming, which uses only the sea, has the potential to redefine the future of protein production in an eco-friendly way, the company says. —Min Joo Kim, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Adverb

Middle English, from Old English ānlīc, from ān one — more at one

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Conjunction

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing only

• by invitation only
• eyes only
• for someone's eyes only
• have (only) oneself to blame
• if only
• in name only
• it seems like only yesterday
• just/only doing one's job
• listen with only half an ear
• mention only in passing
• not just/only/merely
• not the only fish in the sea
• one of the only
• only child
• only fair
• only have eyes for
• only natural
• only right
• only succeed in
• (only) time will tell
• only too
• only wish/want/hope
• read-only
• read-only memory
• second only to
• the one and only
• the only game in town
• the only (person or thing) for
• the only thing
• you're only young once

Kids Definition

only

1 of 3 adjective

on·​ly ˈōn-lē 

1

: the best without doubt

it's the only thing for me

2

a

: alone in or of a class or kind : sole

the only survivor of the crash

b

: having no brother or sister

an only child

3

: few entry 2 sense 1

one of the only areas not yet explored

only

2 of 3 adverb

1

a

: as a single fact or instance and nothing more or different

worked only in the mornings

b

: no one or nothing other than

only you know

2

: at the very least

it was only too true

3

a

: in the end

it will only make you sick

b

: with the result

found my pen, only to lose it again

4

a

: as recently as

only last week

b

: in the immediate past

only just saw her

only

3 of 3 conjunction

: except that

I'd play, only I'm too tired