else

American  

[els] / ɛls /

adjective

1. other than the persons or things mentioned or implied.

   What else could I have done?

2. in addition to the persons or things mentioned or implied.

   Who else was there?

3. other or in addition (used in the possessive following an indefinite pronoun).

   someone else's money.

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adverb

1. if not (usually preceded byor ).

   It's a macaw, or else I don't know birds.

2. in some other way; otherwise.

   How else could I have acted?

3. at some other place or time.

   Where else might I find this book?

idioms

1. or else, or suffer the consequences.

   Do what I say, or else.

else British  

/ ɛls /

determiner

1. in addition; more

   there is nobody else here

2. other; different

   where else could he be?

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adverb

1. 1. if not, then

      go away or else I won't finish my work today

   2. or something terrible will result: used as a threat

      sit down, or else!

else More Idioms  

1. see in someone's (else's) shoes; or else; something else; something else again.

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Grammar

The possessive forms of somebody else, everybody else, etc., are somebody else's, everybody else's, the forms somebody's else, everybody's else being considered nonstandard in present-day English. One exception is the possessive for who else, which is occasionally formed as whose else when a noun does not immediately follow: Is this book yours? Whose else could it be? No, it's somebody else's.

Etymology

Origin of else

before 1000; Middle English, Old English elles (cognate with Old High German elles ), equivalent to ell- other (cognate with Gothic aljis, Latin alius, Old Irish aile Greek állos, Armenian ayl other; cf. eldritch) + -es -s 1

Example Sentences

Appeared in the February 27, 2026, print edition as 'Everyone Else Is Trading Without Us'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Outsiders who are familiar with Gibson’s hit records like "Nobody Else," "Sweet Lady" and his films like "Baby Boy" may think that movie scripts land on his desk.

From Salon • Sep. 15, 2024

At the Norwegian Petroleum Museum near Stavanger harbour, Else Tungland drops 12 small wooden bricks onto a table.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2024

That’s immediately evidenced on the cheery retro-pop of “Your World” and the synth-y, riff-led love song “Everyone Else Fades.”

From Seattle Times • Oct. 27, 2023

“You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody?”

From "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck