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

Tolls for the lanes will depend on a complex – if not confusing – series of factors set to change over time. —Mark Price january 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Jan. 2026

Conclusion The current results for many, if not most, leadership development initiatives are disappointing. —Scott J. Allen, Big Think, 6 Jan. 2026

My two younger siblings have my same type of hearing loss and have worn hearing aids since their 40s, if not earlier. —R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026

But to be sure, each objective is incompatible with at least one of the others, if not all three. —Javier Corrales, Time, 5 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for if not

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