1
as in assumptions
something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning
your conclusion may turn out to be accurate, but you're postulating a lot of ifs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in provisions
something upon which the carrying out of an agreement or offer depends
there are a number of ifs in the proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ifs
But all my ‘what ifs’ were about what will people would think, and that’s a dangerous headspace.
—
Marta Balaga, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
Marta Balaga, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ifs
Noun
-
The festive, charming and energetic North American tour of the Broadway production is packed with as much nostalgia as new characters that are doppelgangers for the original series’ heroes and villains, and who often challenge our assumptions about their infamous families.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
-
June’s astro-weather is challenging everything from your belief systems and emotional assumptions to your communication style and daily responsibilities.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
But those agreements include provisions that allow prices to be adjusted if the market shifts, limiting the department's ability to fully insulate itself from sustained increases.—
Steven Beynon,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
-
That rule bars provisions in bills that are deemed to be extraneous to federal spending or outside the jurisdiction of the committees that drafted them.—
Luke Fountain,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
High-stakes save Boston Fire Department firefighters saved a crane operator stuck in his cab at Conley Terminal in South Boston Saturday, despite the dangerous weather conditions.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
The journey to this point began almost a century ago and hundreds of miles away in China, when Mao Zedong reshaped Marxist–Leninist theory to fit the pre-industrial conditions of his country.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Makary drew criticism last year after the agency imposed stricter requirements on who could get Covid shots.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
29 May 2026
-
But only service members who are not overweight and fit certain height and weight requirements can attend, according to a screenshot of a Pentagon memo shared to a military Facebook group and a person familiar with the matter.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
John Scott, Brevard County’s Emergency Management Director said he — and other emergency managers across the state — plan multiple contingencies as a storm develops.—
Zach Covey,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2026
-
Think of contingencies as conditions that must be met before the sale becomes legally final.—
Jason Peters,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
All sorts of improper provisions and constitutionally contentious stipulations are undoubtedly buried within these shiny new AI laws.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
Her license was reinstated on Tuesday with stipulations, including restrictions barring her from direct patient care while under the order.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ifs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ifs. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
