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
And yet — history says keeping the core intact, if only long enough, can work.
—
Kristian Winfield, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025
Finally, public-market tone has brightened, if only at the margins.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
On-set tensions between Kilmer and Sizemore apparently came to a boiling point and an actual fistfight - if only that emotion could have made it through to the final product!
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 28 May 2025
That’s not good news for Rhyan, if only because a second-year former first-round pick might get every chance to become a full-time starter (and Walker is probably starting at left tackle).
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 21 May 2025
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Kristian Winfield, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025
Finally, public-market tone has brightened, if only at the margins.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
On-set tensions between Kilmer and Sizemore apparently came to a boiling point and an actual fistfight - if only that emotion could have made it through to the final product!
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 28 May 2025
That’s not good news for Rhyan, if only because a second-year former first-round pick might get every chance to become a full-time starter (and Walker is probably starting at left tackle).
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 21 May 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 6 Jun. 2025.
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