otherwise

adverb

Definition of otherwisenext
as in else
in a different way the candidate was gracious in his defeat, though he clearly wished the election had gone otherwise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 otherwise There's also a lack of training among medical professionals, says Uloko, adding that doctors are taught that when a patient presents with classic UTI symptoms, it should be considered a UTI until proven otherwise. — Meghan Rabbitt, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026 Private youth sports groups have argued their presence allows investments in things like ice rinks that otherwise wouldn’t receive the same amount of funding. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026 Roman will be able to use its coronagraph like a shield against harsh starlight to spot planets that are otherwise difficult to see around other stars and identify them. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 The chimney also acts as a counterpoint to the otherwise low-slung profile. — Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for otherwise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for otherwise
  1. else
  2. differently
Adverb
  • Detectives believe 44-year-old Lacurtis Knight, from Tamarac, was hit Sunday by the car somewhere else, and then moved by someone to where his body was discovered, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
    — David Goodhue August 28, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Almost everywhere else in the city, women would need one — except at this venue, which tries to not upset the precarious balance of the religion-nightlife cohabitation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of else
Adverb
  • The industry that changed The warning lands differently because the Treasury market Bessent is managing is not the one that financed America’s deficits when Druckenmiller and Soros were building their reputations.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In short, what scientists discovered in the 1960s was that different bodies process milk differently.
    — Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of differently

Browse Nearby Words

other than
otherwise
other woman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Otherwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/otherwise. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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