or else

idiom

1

—used to say what will happen if something is not done

You have to leave or else you will be arrested for trespassing.

2

—used to say what another possibility is

He either thinks he can't do it or else he just isn't interested.

3

informal

—used in angry speech to express a threat without saying exactly what the threat is

Do what I say or else!

Examples of or else in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Key Facts More than 50 Democratic lawmakers left Texas on Sunday in order to keep the state House from having enough votes to redraw the state’s congressional map to more heavily favor Republicans, with GOP officials giving Democrats until Friday to return to the state or else face consequences. —Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

Noting that Randall-Pizarro had failed to show up to court the previous day, prosecutors asked Judge Heidi Cesare to remand Randall-Pizarro into custody, or else set a $30,000 cash bail. —Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2025

Those removals would leave vacancies that could be filled by Abbott within 20 days, or else an election is ordered for the seat. —Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2025

And on Monday, Trump gave Moscow less than two weeks to reach a deal or else face steep sanctions. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 28 July 2025