only 1 of 3

1
2
3
as in merely
nothing more than I was only fooling when I said I saw a shark in the water

Synonyms & Similar Words

only

2 of 3

adjective

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

only

3 of 3

conjunction

as in but
if it were not for the fact that that's a very nice idea, only it won't help

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of only
Adverb
So far it's only been identified in three small sections in one area of the Chihuahuan Desert in the national park. James Doubek, NPR, 26 Feb. 2025 That immersive film will be available only on Vision Pro, and according to Apple, the initiative is a key element that is in keeping with Bono’s enduring commitment to innovation. Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
Yet within only few short days, the stunning success of It Ends With Us was overshadowed by headlines as details emerged about the Lively-Baldoni feud. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2025 The only way to read the menu early this week was on your phone. Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for only
Recent Examples of Synonyms for only
Adverb
  • Freshman Allie Ziebell also hit just the fifth 3-pointer of the game for UConn off the bench.
    Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2025
  • The incident occurred just before 11 a.m. as the Senate was poised to discuss its final appropriation bills for the day, according to Mississippi Today.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2025
Adverb
  • Mistake: Playing Videos, Music, and Calls at Full Volume Solution: Use Noise-canceling Headphones $249 $199 at Amazon People have gotten really comfortable taking phone calls, listening to music, and watching videos at full volume in public lately — sans headphones.
    Julie Rousseau, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Ozzy Osbourne has been on something of a winning streak lately.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Adverb
  • The first game was merely a barometer to inform the rest of spring.
    Cody Stavenhagen, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Joshua Fisher, a White House official, asserted in the filing that Mr. Musk was not in charge of DOGE, but merely an employee of the White House.
    Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Alabama got 24 points from Mark Sears and had excellent defensive stretches but couldn’t finish.
    Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 2 Mar. 2025
  • More Deebo Samuel news: 49ers Send Star WR Deebo Samuel to Commanders in Blockbuster Trade Samuel will take his talents to the nation's capital and look to take the Commanders to the next level after an excellent year for the young Washington team.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
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
  • Beisner still works for Old Well Management, but after the collectives merged, his duties no longer solely applied to assisting the men’s basketball program.
    Brendan Marks, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Shortly after the memo was walked back, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on social media that the new directive was not a rescission of the federal funding freeze, but solely an unwinding of OMB's Jan. 27 memo.
    Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2025
Adverb
  • The episode, which aired late last year, has been viewed more than ten million times.
    Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
  • From an enterprise services perspective, Verizon announced a partnership with Nvidia late last year to supercharge AI workloads on 5G private networks coupled with mobile edge computing.
    Will Townsend, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Only.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/only. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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