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
Recent Examples on the Web
In fact, Trump’s actions run counter to the spirit—if not the text—of the First Amendment.
—
Scott Nover, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025
But some companies, if not consumers, could see an upswing in business due to a trade war.
—Kevin Williams, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2025
Many -- if not most -- of those contracts have been paid.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 4 Mar. 2025
The sanctions, still in place, ban companies connected to Cuba’s military from handling the money Cuban Americans — many if not most in South Florida — send to their families on the island.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for if not
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Scott Nover, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025
But some companies, if not consumers, could see an upswing in business due to a trade war.
—Kevin Williams, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2025
Many -- if not most -- of those contracts have been paid.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 4 Mar. 2025
The sanctions, still in place, ban companies connected to Cuba’s military from handling the money Cuban Americans — many if not most in South Florida — send to their families on the island.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 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 Mar. 2025.
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