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
But when a mysterious stranger begins blackmailing Neve, she is forced to compromise every legal, moral and ethical obligation to gain an acquittal — or else risk her dark secrets being exposed.
—
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Radziwill wrote that upon arrival on the island, guests had to present a special coin—a rare Indian nickel—or else they would be escorted away.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 12 Feb. 2026
Shoppers are treated to a line of color-happy haulers that can be taken from the beach to the tiki bar and back again, or else sported in your own chilly city as a reminder of unforgettable memories made during PTO.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026
But even if the director is participating in a fantastical, Bridgerton-esque approach to colorblind casting — or else purposefully disrupting canonical characters’ identities despite the importance of race in the original plot — her two leads remain, quite notably, white.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for or else
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Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Radziwill wrote that upon arrival on the island, guests had to present a special coin—a rare Indian nickel—or else they would be escorted away.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 12 Feb. 2026
Shoppers are treated to a line of color-happy haulers that can be taken from the beach to the tiki bar and back again, or else sported in your own chilly city as a reminder of unforgettable memories made during PTO.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026
But even if the director is participating in a fantastical, Bridgerton-esque approach to colorblind casting — or else purposefully disrupting canonical characters’ identities despite the importance of race in the original plot — her two leads remain, quite notably, white.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for or else
Cite this Entry
“Or else.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/or%20else. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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