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

That approach would belie the spirit, if not the letter, of Title IX. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 June 2025

So, to not leverage that in a new HD release to the same degree as G-Darius HD, if not more so, feels like a lost opportunity. —Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025

And what’s the point of rock ’n’ roll if not rebellion? —Stephen Collinson, CNN Money, 7 June 2025

The school year is just about ending, if not over for most families. —Davon Loeb, Parents, 7 June 2025

Rhymes for if not

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot