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
The surprise re-emergence of tariff conflict risks grinding equities sideways, if not worse.
—
Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025
If this is a meniscal tear, that could be 3-4 weeks, if not longer.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
The effect of microbetting, if not its intent, is to induce a fugue state that keeps users in action.
—Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2025
Could’ve won, if not for losing three of the game’s four fumbles.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
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Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025
If this is a meniscal tear, that could be 3-4 weeks, if not longer.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
The effect of microbetting, if not its intent, is to induce a fugue state that keeps users in action.
—Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2025
Could’ve won, if not for losing three of the game’s four fumbles.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for if not
Cite this Entry
“If not.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/if%20not. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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