(only) time will tell

idiom

—used to say that the results of a situation will be known only after a certain amount of time has passed

"Will he be OK?" "I don't know. Only time will tell."

Examples of (only) time will tell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Only time will tell, but upcoming price hikes on popular models like the Maverick, Mustang Mach-e, and Bronco Sport could be bad news for the Blue Oval's entire portfolio, since only 35% of all Ford, Lincoln parts come from the U.S. or Canada. —Charles Singh, USA Today, 8 May 2025

Only time will tell how Dart fares. 10:54 PM EDT Could Shedeur Sanders Be On the Move Thanks to a trade, the New York Giants are suddenly on the clock. —Joe Kozlowski, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025

For now, though, the dire wolf is back from the dead, a monumental scientific feat—but only time will tell how the fruits of Colossal’s labor will affect the world. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2025

At this point, however, only time will tell if a three-star planet makes it into a Star Wars film. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 Apr. 2025