if/when all else fails

idiom

: if/when everything else one has attempted has failed

He only bothers to read the directions if/when all else fails.

Examples of if/when all else fails in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

And if all else fails, the television personality said players could look to the crowd for some answers. —

Esther Kang, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024 And if all else fails, at least there are still plenty of special holiday takeout options across the city. —

Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024 And when all else fails, remember the setting doesn’t have to be perfect for a meditation. —

Jillian Dara, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Nov. 2024 Hey, if all else fails, at least a Super Mario Bros. sequel is in the works. —

Byandrew Nusca, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for if/when all else fails

Cite this Entry

Style

“If/when all else fails.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/if%2Fwhen%20all%20else%20fails. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation