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

But even the right approach to the right problem risks failure if not properly executed. —Joel Thayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025

As an attendance of 6,473 was announced over the stadium intercoms, the answers to those questions felt, if not yet answerable, more positive than negative, a shade Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams. —Megan Feringa, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025

Injuries can result in long-term pain and disability if not properly diagnosed and treated. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025

Apple’s translation feature seems at least equal (if not superior) to those from Google and Microsoft. —Edward Mendelson, PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025

Rhymes for if not

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