How to Use otherwise in a Sentence

otherwise

adverb
  • All of the books had been burned or otherwise destroyed.
  • I didn't like the ending, but otherwise it was a very good book.
  • The women talked in the living room while the men were otherwise occupied.
  • Art allows us to express things that we would not be able to express otherwise.
  • Something must be wrong; otherwise, he would have called.
  • One of the boys has a freckle on his cheek. Otherwise, the twins are nearly identical.
  • The test helps identify problems that might otherwise go unnoticed.
  • There are two months left to prove otherwise.
    — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Nor is bread, stale or otherwise, salty foods or moldy stuff.
    — Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Oct. 2020
  • There’s no point to me otherwise.
    — Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
  • But what was supposed to be a perk soon proved otherwise.
    — Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2026
  • Maybe that's good for a win or two down the stretch that might not have otherwise been there.
    — Rahat Huq, Chron, 14 Feb. 2022
  • His third season in the league has otherwise been his best.
    — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Each of those is a rental unit that a Utahn could otherwise call home.
    — Robert Gehrke, The Salt Lake Tribune, 25 Feb. 2022
  • But the ranges of scores among the same group of students shows otherwise.
    — Sarah Freishtat, Aurora Beacon-News, 27 Oct. 2017
  • Corkins says both children are otherwise healthy enough to be at home.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN, 19 May 2022
  • If the judge agreed, the county would then have to prove otherwise.
    — Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Ruff changed goalies, made a few lineup tweaks and otherwise stayed calm.
    — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Because otherwise what's the point of even telling you?
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Is there a way of engaging with him otherwise at all?
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Be sure to choose a jar that twists shut; otherwise, the lid might pop off while being strung up.
    — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Many parts of the forest are blocked by trees or will otherwise remain closed.
    — oregonlive, 25 Sep. 2020
  • Williams said his ankle tightened up late in the game but otherwise felt fine.
    — Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2022
  • Williams has one arm in a sling but is otherwise up and smizing for the camera.
    — Shania Russell, EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025
  • To do otherwise, in his view, is a disservice to the team.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Otherwise, the Tigers will be easy marks for good passing teams.
    — Edgar Thompson, OrlandoSentinel.com, 5 July 2017
  • There’s a pool, but otherwise the focus here is the scenery and the cuisine.
    — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2022
  • But otherwise, what was there for Djokovic to be disturbed about?
    — Howard Fendrich and Jerome Pugmire, SFChronicle.com, 29 Sep. 2020
  • Countless buildings block air flow that might otherwise cool the days and nights.
    — David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2021
  • Here was an actor who knew how to put a cap on a shot that otherwise would’ve gone hatless.
    — Michael Phillips, idahostatesman, 19 Oct. 2017

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'otherwise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: