if not

phrase

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

In Connecticut alone, there are around 1,600 properties on the National Register, with hundreds if not thousands more eligible for listing. — Jane Montanaro, Hartford Courant, 20 Aug. 2026

The teen will be charged as an adult designated, meaning that if convicted, he could be sentenced as a juvenile, an adult or as a juvenile with the option of receiving an adult sentence if not rehabilitated. — Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Athletes now can be paid like almost any other celebrity, from modest deals with a local burger joint to multimillion-dollar contracts for star quarterbacks, and many of those agreements are now aided, if not actively brokered, by people on campus. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Certain chairs can cause slouching overtime if not intended for work use, resulting in harming your body in the process. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for if not

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