ei·ther-or
ˌē-t͟hər-ˈȯr 
also ˌī-
: an unavoidable choice or exclusive division between only two alternatives
: of or marked by either-or : black-and-white
Examples of either-or in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
John Winsor, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Final Thoughts Choosing to go cashless is not either-or.
—True Tamplin, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
The future requires a more nuanced and holistic approach than the traditional either-or perspective.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
But unlike last offseason, when the Falcons committed $90 million guaranteed to Kirk Cousins before using a first-round pick for another QB, Michael Penix Jr., the move to draft pass rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. was not an either-or proposition.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Everett gives the agonizing either-or decision to James instead.
—John Jeremiah Sullivan, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
The solution to the remote work paradox is not an either-or choice.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Braving a series of twists and turns while racing down the flume of a high-speed dueling water coaster?
Sun Sentinel
Dave Hyde: Ten April blunders tell why Dolphins don’t win in January
For too much of a quarter-century, the Dolphins have been on the wrong side of either-or draft decisions.
—South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2025
Moving beyond the binary understanding of either-or this means recognizing that AI is a tool to augment, not replace, human capabilities.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
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Noun
The Next Consulting Model This isn’t an either-or story.
—John Winsor, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Final Thoughts Choosing to go cashless is not either-or.
—True Tamplin, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
The future requires a more nuanced and holistic approach than the traditional either-or perspective.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
But unlike last offseason, when the Falcons committed $90 million guaranteed to Kirk Cousins before using a first-round pick for another QB, Michael Penix Jr., the move to draft pass rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. was not an either-or proposition.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Everett gives the agonizing either-or decision to James instead.
—John Jeremiah Sullivan, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
The solution to the remote work paradox is not an either-or choice.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Braving a series of twists and turns while racing down the flume of a high-speed dueling water coaster?
Sun Sentinel
Dave Hyde: Ten April blunders tell why Dolphins don’t win in January
For too much of a quarter-century, the Dolphins have been on the wrong side of either-or draft decisions.
—South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2025
Moving beyond the binary understanding of either-or this means recognizing that AI is a tool to augment, not replace, human capabilities.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Either-or.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/either-or. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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