one of the only
idiom
: one of very few : one in a small class or category
That was one of the only times I ever saw my father cry.
This is one of the only places in the world where the plant is found.
Examples of one of the only in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At the time, tensions were high inside Amazon’s executive ranks as Amazon warehouse employees in Bessemer, Ala., were gearing up for one of the only union elections in the company’s history (Amazon is notoriously anti-union).
—
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 21 June 2024
Los Angeles is one of the only cities in the state where officers accused of serious misconduct are entitled to an administrative hearing before they can be fired, officials have said.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
Most egregiously of all, when original cast members and erstwhile queen-bee rivals Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute were fired for falsely calling the police on one of the only Black people the show ever featured, the show never explained their absence.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 22 May 2024
When completed, city officials said Beech Grove will be one of the only school districts in the region with a trail system beside its high school campus.
—John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for one of the only 
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 21 June 2024
Los Angeles is one of the only cities in the state where officers accused of serious misconduct are entitled to an administrative hearing before they can be fired, officials have said.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
Most egregiously of all, when original cast members and erstwhile queen-bee rivals Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute were fired for falsely calling the police on one of the only Black people the show ever featured, the show never explained their absence.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 22 May 2024
When completed, city officials said Beech Grove will be one of the only school districts in the region with a trail system beside its high school campus.
—John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for one of the only
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'one of the only.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near one of the only
Cite this Entry
“One of the only.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one%20of%20the%20only. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share