Definitions
01exclusively
A1 · Beginner
adv. used to say that no one or nothing else is involved.
adv. used to indicate that the following statement applies exclusively to the person, thing, or group mentioned.
“This parking space is only for people who work in the building.”
“The scholarship is only available to students who have maintained a perfect grade point average throughout their undergraduate studies.”
Usage
Usually placed before the verb or the specific phrase it limits.
Pitfall
I only have seen him once.
I have only seen him once.
In careful writing, place 'only' as close as possible to the word it modifies to avoid confusion.
Synonyms
02no more than
A1 · Beginner
adv. used to show that a number or amount is small or not enough.
adv. used to emphasize that a quantity, distance, or time is surprisingly small or limited.
“The journey to the city centre takes only ten minutes by train.”
“The startup began with only a few thousand dollars in capital, yet it managed to disrupt the entire local logistics industry within two years.”
Antonyms
03the single one
A1 · Beginner
adj. used to describe the one person or thing of a particular type.
adj. functioning as a determiner to indicate that there is no other of the same kind in a specific context.
“She was the only person in the room who knew the secret.”
“The only surviving manuscript of the poem is currently held in a private collection in Switzerland.”
Usage
Always placed before the noun it describes.
04without siblings
A2 · Elementary
adj. used to describe a child who has no brothers or sisters.
adj. denoting a child who is the sole offspring of their parents.
“Being an only child meant he spent a lot of time playing by himself.”
“Research suggests that only children often develop strong verbal skills early due to their frequent interactions with adults.”
Synonyms
05except that
B1 · Intermediate Informal
conj. used to add a comment that explains why you cannot do something.
conj. used informally to introduce a clause that provides a reason or a contrasting fact that limits the previous statement.
“I would go to the party with you, only I have too much work to do.”
“The house would be perfect for our needs, only the commute to the city is far too long for a daily trip.”
Teaching tip
In formal writing, 'except' or 'but' is usually preferred over this use of 'only'.
Etymology
From Middle English oonly, only, from Old English ānlīċ, ǣnlīċ (“only; singular; solitary”), from Proto-Germanic *ainalīkaz. Cognate with obsolete Dutch eenlijk, German ähnlich (“similar”), Old Norse álíkr, Swedish enlig (“unified”). By surface analysis, on(e) + -ly. * Regarding the different phonological development of only and one, see the note in one.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/only
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0