if not
idiom
1
—used to talk about the negative result or effect of something
You should study. If not, you won't pass the test.
2
—used to express surprise about meeting someone when it is not expected
So I went to the game and who should I see there if not my old friend Tom!
Examples of if not in a Sentence
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Another 100 points to the winner and 50 points to the runner-up in the Florida Derby and Arkansas Derby will secure the horses a spot in the Kentucky Derby if not yet qualified.
—
Jay Ginsbach, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Newsweek consulted two experts who both affirmed that childfree life in one's 30s and beyond offers distinctive opportunities for growth, peace, and pleasure—if not punctuated by the demands of parenting.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025
Bottom-feeder teams can become playoff contenders — if not conference finalists — by the following year.
—Ben Standig, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
The city’s budget for 2026 is likely to be every bit as difficult, if not harder, than last year’s.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
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Jay Ginsbach, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Newsweek consulted two experts who both affirmed that childfree life in one's 30s and beyond offers distinctive opportunities for growth, peace, and pleasure—if not punctuated by the demands of parenting.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025
Bottom-feeder teams can become playoff contenders — if not conference finalists — by the following year.
—Ben Standig, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
The city’s budget for 2026 is likely to be every bit as difficult, if not harder, than last year’s.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for if not
Cite this Entry
“If not.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/if%20not. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.
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