one or the other
idiom
: one of two persons or things but not the other
One or the other of us will have to go.
Examples of one or the other in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bradley Jackson and Alex Levy finally share nominations Taking Emma Stone’s spot, perhaps, may have been one or the other of the hardworking news anchors from fictional network UBA.
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Kate Aurthur, Variety, 17 July 2024
After all, the electorate is highly polarized, such that most voters considering one of the major-party contenders already lean toward one or the other candidate, and aren't particularly likely to jump ship.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 2 July 2024
Undecided voters looking for a positive reason to vote for one or the other were unlikely to find enlightenment.
—Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2024
Only when Wigner examines the lab does the atom enter one or the other state.
—Anil Ananthaswamy, Scientific American, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for one or the other 
Kate Aurthur, Variety, 17 July 2024
After all, the electorate is highly polarized, such that most voters considering one of the major-party contenders already lean toward one or the other candidate, and aren't particularly likely to jump ship.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 2 July 2024
Undecided voters looking for a positive reason to vote for one or the other were unlikely to find enlightenment.
—Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2024
Only when Wigner examines the lab does the atom enter one or the other state.
—Anil Ananthaswamy, Scientific American, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for one or the other
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'one or the other.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near one or the other
Cite this Entry
“One or the other.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one%20or%20the%20other. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
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