only wish/want/hope

idiom

used to stress that someone's wishing/wanting/hoping something is the simple truth
He only wished she'd told him sooner.
I only wish I knew what was going on.
He only wanted to help.
I only hope she can get over this.

Examples of only wish/want/hope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For an unnamed father and son living in a burned, decaying America, their only hope on a perilous journey to the coast is their connection to each other. Robert English, EW.com, 30 July 2025 With those results, the only hope of an outsider reaching the latter stages was based on the draw, rather than a giant-killer. Michael Cox, New York Times, 29 July 2025 For many, a transplant is their only hope for survival. Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 Worlds collide, though, when the Saja Boys, a new, competing boy band, reveal themselves to also be demons, with the girls being the only hope to take them down. Jim Halterman, IndieWire, 16 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for only wish/want/hope

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Only wish/want/hope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/only%20wish%2Fwant%2Fhope. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!