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 Leafs have no first-round picks in the next two drafts, so that package probably has to include most of, if not all, of Ben Danford, Easton Cowan and a second-round pick in 2027. —Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025

Most shoes have a firm outer, which takes up more space in your suitcase and can easily be dented if not packed correctly. —Rebecca Shinners, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025

At a weekly Saturday night gathering for the hostages in Tel Aviv, many people sounded cautiously hopeful — if not frustrated with the political leadership at home. —Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 6 Oct. 2025

Many, if not most, of the attendees had previously been incarcerated. —Jennifer Gonnerman, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025

Rhymes for if not

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