Phrase guide

if not

conj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Mid-Atlantic, US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

conj

Meaning 1

Indicates that a statement is true in the event that a condition is not satisfied.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: plain literal sense

Examples

  • The plant will die if not watered.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

conj

Meaning 2

Indicates that one statement at least is true, and possibly a second, stronger statement is true; perhaps even.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He did as well as expected, if not better.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

conj

Meaning 3

Indicates that one statement is true, but a second is not; but not.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I saw that he had improved his manners if not his scruffy appearance.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adverb

Meaning 4

perhaps; indicating possibility of being more remarkable (greater or better or sooner) than

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • will yield 10% if not more
  • pretty if not actually beautiful
  • let's meet tonight if not sooner

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Amharic: ያለዚያ (yaläziya) — Translations
  • Arabic: إِلَّا (ʔillā) — Translations
  • Dutch: zo niet — Translations
  • Esperanto: se ne — Translations
  • Finnish: ellei — Translations
  • Finnish: jos ei — Translations
  • French: pour ne pas dire — Translations
  • French: si pas — Translations
  • French: sinon — Translations
  • Italian: se non — Translations
  • Japanese: ではないにしろ (de wa nai ni shiro) — Translations
  • Latin: nisi — Translations
  • Polish: jeśli nie — Translations
  • Polish: jeżeli nie — Translations
  • Portuguese: se não — Translations
  • Portuguese: senão — Translations
  • Russian: е́сли не (jésli ne) — Translations
  • Scottish Gaelic: mura — Translations
  • Scottish Gaelic: mana — Translations
  • Spanish: si no — Translations
  • Spanish: de no — Translations
  • Turkish: aksi hâlde — Translations
  • Turkish: aksi takdirde — Translations
  • Turkish: yoksa — Translations