if only
idiom
—used to talk about something that one wants to happen or be true
If only she loved me in return!
If only it would stop raining.
Examples of if only in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kinda sports-adjacent, if only because Leary really seems to enjoy the Boston Bruins.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 July 2025
To this conclusion, if only because there is no alternative to it, people will be forced to come.
—John Kenneth Galbraith, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
The post also pulled back the veil, if only slightly, on the complex and secretive process federal officials use to determine who belongs on terrorism watch lists that can influence decisions every day by employers, airport security and law enforcement.
—Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 14 July 2025
The Penguin stands a much better chance, if only because the Emmys have historically loved crime dramas.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for if only
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Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 July 2025
To this conclusion, if only because there is no alternative to it, people will be forced to come.
—John Kenneth Galbraith, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
The post also pulled back the veil, if only slightly, on the complex and secretive process federal officials use to determine who belongs on terrorism watch lists that can influence decisions every day by employers, airport security and law enforcement.
—Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 14 July 2025
The Penguin stands a much better chance, if only because the Emmys have historically loved crime dramas.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for if only
Cite this Entry
“If only.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/if%20only. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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