- used to state what the result would be if something did not happen or if the situation were different
- My parents lent me the money. Otherwise, I couldn't have afforded the trip.
- Shut the window, otherwise it'll get too cold in here.
- We're committed to the project. We wouldn't be here otherwise.
- The project had given children opportunities they would never otherwise have had.
Definitions on the go
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- apart from that
- There was some music playing upstairs. Otherwise the house was silent.
- He was slightly bruised but otherwise unhurt.
- in a different way to the way mentioned; differently
- Bismarck, otherwise known as ‘the Iron Chancellor’
- It is not permitted to sell or otherwise distribute copies of past examination papers.
- You know what this is about. Why pretend otherwise (= that you do not)?
- He maintains that he is innocent, but the police are looking for evidence and witnesses to prove otherwise.
- Even when common sense would suggest otherwise, optimism reigns.
- I wanted to see him but he was otherwise engaged (= doing something else).
- Unless otherwise stated, all translations in the text are my own.
Word OriginOld English on ōthre wisan (from other + wise ‘manner or extent of something’).
Idioms
See otherwise in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee otherwise in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishknow different/otherwise
- (informal) to have information or evidence that the opposite is true
- You'd think this was a high-budget film if you didn't know otherwise.
or otherwise
- used to refer to something that is different from or the opposite of what has just been mentioned
- It was necessary to discover the truth or otherwise of these statements.
- We insure against all damage, accidental or otherwise.
Check pronunciation:
otherwise