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

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For many, the serene communal ritual of arriving at the casket’s resting place in the Rotunda offered a respite, if only for a few moments, from the anxiety of a complicated national moment, or the press of everyday concerns — or both. —

Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025 More news: Mets Meet With All-Star Free Agent Closer: Report The Mets are an unlikely suitor for Verdugo, if only because they are hitched to Juan Soto to a corner outfield position for the next 15 years. —

Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025 Likewise, the adult daughter should have given you a more in-depth heads-up about the disagreement with her parents, if only to avoid creating tension in your friendship with her parents. —

R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 5 Jan. 2025 And still, there is something seductive about leaning into it, if only for the duration of the average TikTok glow-up challenge. —

Rebecca Jennings, Vox, 3 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for if only