only
0 antonyms and opposites of only, grouped by meaning.
Adj — Being the single one of its kind; sole.
How to use only
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Middle English oonly, from Old English ānlīċ ("singular, solitary"), literally built from one + -ly.
Full origin of only →Frequently asked questions
What does “only” mean?
The word “only” means being the single one of its kind; sole. In plain terms, limits something to just one thing, person, or possibility — "and nothing else.".
How do you pronounce “only”?
“Only” is pronounced OHN-lee (/ˈoʊn.li/ in IPA).
How do you use “only” in a sentence?
Here is “only” used in a sentence: “This is the only copy of the letter that survived.”
What part of speech is “only”?
Depending on how it is used, “only” can be an adjective, an adverb and a conjunction.
Where does the word “only” come from?
The word “only” comes from Old English. From Middle English oonly, from Old English ānlīċ ("singular, solitary"), literally built from one + -ly.
Is “only” a common word?
“Only” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “only” have?
“Only” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: being the single one of its kind; sole.
What is the difference between 'only' as an adjective and as an adverb?
As an adjective, 'only' means sole — the single one of its kind: 'the only exit,' 'their only child.' As an adverb, it means merely or no more than: 'I only asked once.' The adjective sits before a noun to mark uniqueness; the adverb limits or restricts the rest of the sentence.
What does 'an only child' mean?
An only child is someone with no brothers or sisters — the sole child in the family. Here 'only' is an adjective meaning the single one of its kind. It says nothing about the child's personality; it simply states that there are no siblings.
What is an example of 'only' as an adjective?
In 'she was the only witness,' 'only' marks her as the single one of her kind — no other witnesses existed. Other examples include 'the only copy,' 'our only hope,' and 'the only road into town.' In each, 'only' stresses that there is just one.
Does where you put 'only' in a sentence change the meaning?
Yes, especially with the adverb. 'Only she saw him' (no one else did) differs from 'she only saw him' (she did nothing more) and 'she saw only him' (no one else). Placing 'only' directly before the word it limits keeps your meaning clear.