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

See Examples For:

else

The grove on Santa Rosa Island, which sits about 26 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara, is a genetically distinct subspecies that occurs nowhere else on Earth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

“They are trying to do good in a fallen world and realize the most they can do is less harm than someone else would do in that same role,” he explained.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

The kid has discovered a maddening form of power: forcing an entire room to participate in a distinction nobody else needed.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026

“Modeling was performing, but I had braces and noticed I was chubbier than everybody else, creating new anxieties. To be 11, 12, and 13 just sucked.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

“Who else wants a go against Nate the foosball champion?”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam