How to Use if (at all) possible in a Sentence

if (at all) possible

idiom
Definition of if (at all) possiblenext
  • Add the fish, skinned side down, if possible (some cuts will have skin on the side).
    — Sheryl Julian, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Apr. 2023
  • Think of it as a dinner with the in-laws–play it safe (and avoid it if possible).
    — Ginny Hogan, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024
  • Work quickly to get the hide off of your deer, then hang the meat in the shade or a walk-in cooler if possible.
    — Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 7 Sep. 2023
  • The best place for a lanai is off the kitchen or indoor living room, if possible.
    — Kelly Dawson, House Beautiful, 6 July 2023
  • Lift with your legs to avoid straining your back, and ask a friend for help if possible.
    — Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 July 2024
  • The crew would eject before impact, if possible, or the plane would ditch in the water with the crew on board.
    — Jane Perlez, Foreign Affairs, 5 July 2024
  • Work in the shade if possible and take plenty of water breaks.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Oct. 2024
  • But, if possible, the numbers are even more amazing over the last six weeks.
    — Evan Grant, Dallas News, 27 June 2023
  • In court on Thursday, Leake again denied the charges against him and pleaded with the U.S. to trade him if possible.
    — Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2023
  • Skip peak hours and get your shopping done early in the day if possible.
    — Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Nov. 2023
  • Your best bet is to keep the water line below the top of your boot if possible, and add a pair of trail gaiters for super wet days.
    — Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2023
  • Ury: Take a pause and remember to breathe—and to take frequent breaks if possible.
    — Kathy Caprino, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024
  • Don't pressure yourself to create the trip of a lifetime … Do it in a bite sized chunk if possible.
    — Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 6 May 2024
  • The bill calls for pets to be restrained with a harness, seat belt, or if possible, to be held by a passenger.
    — Melissa Pérez-Carrillo, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2023
  • How to make the best chicken parm Make a homemade marinara sauce, if possible.
    — Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 12 Feb. 2023
  • Try sleeping on a couch in the basement or on your home's ground floor rather than on the second story, if possible.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2023
  • If students miss any lecture or join after Jan. 15, a video of the lecture will be sent to them, if possible.
    — Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2024
  • No masks can filter out ozone, so stay inside on high ozone days as if possible.
    — Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 17 May 2024
  • Multiple people were required to sit on the couch, as well as pets and kids if possible.
    — Alida Nugent, Peoplemag, 8 Jan. 2024
  • Provide plenty of sun, growing room, and, if possible, a trellis so the vines can climb.
    — Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2023
  • But, if possible, the Allworth Advice is to try and remain civil with each other from the get-go.
    — Amy Wagner and Steve Sprovach, The Enquirer, 4 Apr. 2023
  • And if possible, without putting yourself in more danger, find a safer spot away from the busy roads to catch your breath and figure out your next steps.
    — Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
  • Store them in the cloud and if possible keep a physical copy with your important papers or on a flash drive.
    — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 11 Aug. 2024
  • Temperatures will warm to the low to upper 90s, so make sure to stay hydrated and have a cool place to stay during the heat of the day if possible!
    — Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 30 May 2024
  • But there are three reasons to try to hold off if possible: Taxes, penalties and the loss of long-term investment growth.
    — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 9 Oct. 2024
  • Some of the best ways to improve your credit standing come down to paying your bills on time every month, and in full, if possible, Dvorkin said.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2024
  • Take extra caution when on the road or avoid driving if possible.
    — Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Jan. 2024
  • The plan was to moor close to Liberland and—if possible—for a more agile craft to deposit a smaller group of brave Liberlandians on the shore.
    — WIRED, 2 July 2023
  • Stick with full-fat heavy cream (also called whipping cream), if possible.
    — Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 8 Sep. 2023
  • Drivers were once again urged to take a different route if possible.
    — Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 19 Oct. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'if (at all) possible.' 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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