(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 While the political landscape has changed since 1981, only time will tell if the attack on Trump will garner the lasting admiration and public approval felt by Reagen, whose already high approval rating only increased after the shooting, according to a Gallup poll. —

Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 16 July 2024 As for their industry-specific plans, only time will tell. —

Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 July 2024 The Griffey’s are remembered as one of the MLB’s most iconic teammates despite their short time playing together and only time will tell if Lebron James and Bronny will join the pair as iconic father-son teammates. —

Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 July 2024 It could be said that the election of Joe Biden reflects a desire for less extremism and more moderation, though time will tell. —

Ray Dalio, TIME, 25 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for (only) time will tell

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word '(only) time will tell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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“(only) time will tell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/%28only%29%20time%20will%20tell. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.

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