only 1 of 3

Definition of onlynext
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
Weaver ended his outing by getting Aaron Judge to fly out, needing only 19 pitches to record six outs. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 17 May 2026 Elder wouldn’t give up another run until the Contreras homer in the eighth, despite only recording three strikeouts and having four balls hit off the bat more than 100 mph and 11 others leave the wood at more than 90 mph. Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 17 May 2026
Adjective
The character of Max isn’t the only one to undergo a twist. Amy Reyes may 14, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026 Concord is the only other city in the region with more than 90,000 total people as of 2025. John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for only
Recent Examples of Synonyms for only
Adverb
  • Heard whole, the Barber-Menotti product is as gloriously over the top as anything that Bette Davis ever made with William Wyler—and Heartbeat’s reduction of it to its burning cinders is as just as effective as Glyndebourne’s grandly eloquent take.
    Russell Platt, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
  • Having overseen the game tent for many years, Cornelius knew just the thing to say in order to goad the customers into buying tickets.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Adverb
  • The videos slot into the lineage of vaguely ambient visuals that have lately become Drake’s bread and butter.
    Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 15 May 2026
  • If your mattress has been feeling a little too firm lately, this pillowy mattress topper is an easy fix without buying a whole new bed.
    Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Adverb
  • Matching the anything-goes vibe that flows through the resort, the breezy restaurant pavilion is merely a suggestion—ordering lunch or dinner to your private terrace, a candlelit table on the beach, or one of the dozen-or-so secret seating nooks scattered around the property is actively encouraged.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
  • Back then, both Riley and Glick felt marginalized, under siege in a country where merely criticizing income inequality was viewed as outrageous.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • Christopher Sanchez has once again been excellent, and Jacob Misiorowski has often looked unhittable with over 14 strikeouts per nine innings.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
  • The excellent, nonprofit gallery and incubator known as PlatteForum has moved around a bit over the years, and will reopen in the Art District on Santa Fe starting June 5.
    John Wenzel, Denver Post, 14 May 2026
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
  • All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, or its parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium.
    Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 15 May 2026
  • Over the course of Obsession's 108-minute runtime, Nikki transforms into an self-destructive, possessive, and dangerously violent shadow of her former self as Bear's spell forces her to fixate solely on her unnatural devotion to him—no matter the cost.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 15 May 2026
Adverb
  • Stock Chart IconStock chart icon The news comes after the bank late last month reported a better-than-expected profit gain of 17%, helped by stronger contributions from its Wealth Solutions, Global Banking, and Global Markets flow income segments.
    Justina Lee, CNBC, 19 May 2026
  • With Ramón Laureano slumping, the Padres have given more starts to Sheets in left field of late as a way to get him and some combination of Ty France, Miguel Andujar and Nick Castellanos in the same lineup.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Only.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/only. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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