1
: being the one and the other of two : each
flowers blooming on either side of the walk
plays either instrument well
2
: being the one or the other of two
take either road
: the one or the other
take either of the two routes
—used as a function word before two or more coordinate words, phrases, or clauses joined usually by or to indicate that what immediately follows is the first of two or more alternatives
can be used either as a guest room or as an office
Examples of either in a Sentence
Adjective
French and English are closer to each other than either language is to Chinese.
You may take either road.
You may choose either answer.
Either way is all right with me.
Pronoun
I haven't written to either of my parents.
Adverb
you won't convince them, and, in fact, I don't agree either!
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Weiner, Tom Jackman and Spencer S. Hsu, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Jan. 2022
Daniel M. Jimenez, The Cannifornian, 22 June 2017
Consumers face two possible outcomes — insurers will either leave the marketplace or be forced to raise their rates.
—Bloomberg News, The Denver Post, 5 May 2017
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2025
To be fair, the SE didn’t support MagSafe either, but every new iPhone design since the iPhone 12 way back in 2020 has—and not just the premium flagships.
—Ars Technica, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for either
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
But some judges criticized the either-jail-or-probation sentencing aspect of the parading charge.
—Rachel Weiner, Tom Jackman and Spencer S. Hsu, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Jan. 2022
Conjunction
But scientists and doctors say things aren’t that simple — and a belief that exposing children to marijuana, either directly or indirectly, is harmless isn’t supported by the facts.
—Daniel M. Jimenez, The Cannifornian, 22 June 2017
Consumers face two possible outcomes — insurers will either leave the marketplace or be forced to raise their rates.
—Bloomberg News, The Denver Post, 5 May 2017
Adverb
The season’s sixth chapter is absolutely stunning, as a wounded Joe either suffers an extended hallucination or takes a long visit to the spirit world in order to reckon with a dark secret of his past that ties into several of the problems he’s recently brought upon himself.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2025
To be fair, the SE didn’t support MagSafe either, but every new iPhone design since the iPhone 12 way back in 2020 has—and not just the premium flagships.
—Ars Technica, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for either
Cite this Entry
“Either.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/either. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
either
2 of 4 pronoun
: the one or the other
tell either of my sisters
either
3 of 4 conjunction
—used before the first of two or more words or word groups the last of which follows or to show that they are choices or possibilities
a statement is either true or false
either
4 of 4 adverb1
: likewise sense 2, moreover
—used after a negative
not wise or handsome either
2
: so far as that is concerned
—used after a choice or possibility following a question or conditional clause
if your father had come or your mother either all would have gone well
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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