only choice
No alternatives exist
Only choice refers to a situation where no alternatives exist—the single option available when all others have been eliminated or never existed: Surrender was their only choice.
The phrase often carries a sense of constraint or resignation, implying the decision was made by circumstances rather than preference: With no money left, staying was my only choice.
- last resortFinal available option
- no alternativeSole available course
- lesser of two evilsPreferable among bad options
- inevitableCertain to occur
- necessaryIndispensable, cannot omit
forced hand · ultimatum · cornered · rock and a hard place · desperate · trapped · no turning back · must · compelled · obligated · default · fallback · backup · plan B · bottom of the barrel · take it or leave it · narrow · limited
- limited availabilityshort list, sold out, out of stock, shortage, deficit
- oxymoronsbittersweet, deafening silence, pretty ugly, living dead, act naturally
only choicedilemma
Forced choice between undesirables
quandary · conundrum · toss-up · close call · impossible choice
only, one, once, alone, lonely, loneliness, lone, loner, oneness