How to Use otherwise in a Sentence

otherwise

1 of 2 adverb

• All of the books had been burned or otherwise destroyed.
• I didn't like the ending, but otherwise it was a very good book.
• The women talked in the living room while the men were otherwise occupied.
• Art allows us to express things that we would not be able to express otherwise.
• Something must be wrong; otherwise, he would have called.
• One of the boys has a freckle on his cheek. Otherwise, the twins are nearly identical.
• The test helps identify problems that might otherwise go unnoticed.
• There are two months left to prove otherwise.
  — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 23 Feb. 2026
• Nor is bread, stale or otherwise, salty foods or moldy stuff.
  — Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Oct. 2020
• There’s no point to me otherwise.
  — Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
• But what was supposed to be a perk soon proved otherwise.
  — Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2026
• Maybe that's good for a win or two down the stretch that might not have otherwise been there.
  — Rahat Huq, Chron, 14 Feb. 2022
• His third season in the league has otherwise been his best.
  — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026
• Each of those is a rental unit that a Utahn could otherwise call home.
  — Robert Gehrke, The Salt Lake Tribune, 25 Feb. 2022
• But the ranges of scores among the same group of students shows otherwise.
  — Sarah Freishtat, Aurora Beacon-News, 27 Oct. 2017
• Corkins says both children are otherwise healthy enough to be at home.
  — Brenda Goodman, CNN, 19 May 2022
• If the judge agreed, the county would then have to prove otherwise.
  — Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
• Ruff changed goalies, made a few lineup tweaks and otherwise stayed calm.
  — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
• Because otherwise what's the point of even telling you?
  — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
• Is there a way of engaging with him otherwise at all?
  — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
• Be sure to choose a jar that twists shut; otherwise, the lid might pop off while being strung up.
  — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
• Many parts of the forest are blocked by trees or will otherwise remain closed.
  — oregonlive, 25 Sep. 2020
• Williams said his ankle tightened up late in the game but otherwise felt fine.
  — Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2022
• Williams has one arm in a sling but is otherwise up and smizing for the camera.
  — Shania Russell, EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025
• To do otherwise, in his view, is a disservice to the team.
  — Diane Brady, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
• Otherwise, the Tigers will be easy marks for good passing teams.
  — Edgar Thompson, OrlandoSentinel.com, 5 July 2017
• There’s a pool, but otherwise the focus here is the scenery and the cuisine.
  — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2022
• But otherwise, what was there for Djokovic to be disturbed about?
  — Howard Fendrich and Jerome Pugmire, SFChronicle.com, 29 Sep. 2020
• Countless buildings block air flow that might otherwise cool the days and nights.
  — David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2021
• Bryce Eldridge was, once again, a bright spot in an otherwise bleak game.
  — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 19 July 2026

otherwise

2 of 2 adjective

• If conditions were otherwise, I wouldn't be so worried.
• Yellow and reds can cut through the otherwise tans and browns of the surrounding landscape.
  — Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 6 Dec. 2025
• The best looks in the otherwise play-it-safe collection were classic Miyake styles.
  — Thomas Adamson, ajc, 30 Sep. 2022
• The kitchen has dark cabinets that accent the otherwise white walls throughout.
  — Dallas News, 30 Oct. 2020
• Fanning softened the otherwise sultry look with a simple sweep of light pink blush and a matching lip.
  — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 22 Apr. 2022
• And why the sprinkling of fiction in an otherwise nonfiction book?
  — Ling Ma, Wired, 17 Nov. 2020
• For much of the summer and fall our otherwise blue skies maybe tainted with a dirty, hazy pall of orange from flames a thousand miles away.
  — Todd Nelson, Star Tribune, 11 July 2021
• The islands act like a comb that gather debris on its otherwise pristine beaches.
  — Elinor Aspegren, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2021
• Fatigue might have contributed to her breaking an ankle on an otherwise minor fall last spring.
  — David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2019
• The islands act like a comb, gathering debris on its otherwise pristine beaches.
  — Caleb Jones, Star Tribune, 30 Apr. 2021
• Notably, the smooth saxophone glided through the robust band, standing out among the otherwise head-banging song.
  — Griffin Wiles, The Indianapolis Star, 25 June 2022
• Maybe a few players can elevate an otherwise pedestrian offense or defense.
  — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
• Prairie dresses add a feminine touch to your otherwise masculine Western wardrobe.
  — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2022
• The only cactus-prickly problem for an otherwise championship-worthy stage was the track itself.
  — Michael Knight, The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2021
• There seems little question that the otherwise stillness and purity of silence on your street is going to be usurped by those that own and are operating their self-driving cars.
  — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2021
• The lace detailing of this look is perfectly offset by the shining satin sash and matching gloves that add an air of regalness to the otherwise sultry ensemble.
  — Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
• Occasional bumps arise from having the tires go over a rough patch on the highway, providing an almost welcome respite from the otherwise tedium and boredom of this driving trek.
  — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2021
• Additionally, Colegrove noted and photographed each tuft of pale fur, a dollop of cream on an otherwise coffee and cinnamon pelt.
  — Elizabeth Miller, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2022
• Tokyo organizers have said some Olympic and government officials and sponsors would be allowed at the otherwise spectator-free venues.
  — Rachel Bachman, WSJ, 20 July 2021
• Each of those three districts include at least one heavily African-American area in an otherwise majority-white district, the suit says.
  — Ivana Hrynkiw | [email protected], al, 6 Nov. 2019
• The lip oils' signature fragrances include 8 percent precious sandalwood, which is used to counterbalance their otherwise fruity notes.
  — Tiffany Dodson, Harper's BAZAAR, 18 Apr. 2022
• Then after the otherwise garden variety Cactus League game, Frelick had a tough time wiping the grin off his face while speaking to the media on the field.
  — Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2022
• Until pretty recently, endorsing the death penalty has been a weirdly un-liberal carve-out position taken by some otherwise blue politicians.
  — Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2022
• In recent years, guitarist Summers has emphasized his crucial role in creating memorable parts for the song that transformed it from an otherwise pedestrian piece.
  — Mike Alleyne, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
• This might help to overcome the otherwise wanton avid capturing of daily activities that are not particularly crucial to the driving of the vehicle.
  — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Apr. 2021
• In the Trans-Pecos region where we were headed, a chain of mountain ranges provides humid and elevated refuges in the otherwise arid and flat Chihuahuan Desert.
  — Marion Renault, The New Republic, 20 Dec. 2021
• Home Depot reported sales growth that was more than double the already brisk rate analysts had been expecting, but rising expenses meant flat margins in an otherwise standout quarter.
  — BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2020
• The small, handheld device can be customized with an app to add heat, cryotherapy, vibrations, and LED lights to your otherwise basic skincare routine.
  — Medea Giordano, Wired, 27 Nov. 2020
• Social justice movements aside, cycling advocates are celebrating the resurgence of mainstream interest in their otherwise niche sport—and trying to figure out how to keep the momentum going.
  — The Editors, Outside Online, 10 Nov. 2020
• Folarin Balogun was sent off in the only blot on an otherwise dream night for the United States in their round-of-32 game against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  — Tom Bogert, New York Times, 2 July 2026