otherwise

American  

[uhth-er-wahyz] / ˈʌð ərˌwaɪz /

adverb

1. under other circumstances.

   Otherwise they may get broken.

2. in another manner; differently.

   Under the circumstances, I can't believe otherwise.

3. in other respects.

   an otherwise happy life.

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conjunction

1. or else; if not.

   Button up your overcoat, otherwise you'll catch cold.

adjective

1. other or different; of another nature or kind.

   We hoped his behavior would be otherwise.

2. in other or different circumstances.

   An otherwise pleasure had become a grinding chore.

otherwise British  

/ ˈʌðəˌwaɪz /

1. or else; if not, then

   go home — otherwise your mother will worry

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adverb

1. differently

   I wouldn't have thought otherwise

2. in other respects

   an otherwise hopeless situation

adjective

1. (predicative) of an unexpected nature; different

   the facts are otherwise

pronoun

1. something different in outcome

   success or otherwise

Usage

The expression otherwise than means in any other way than and should not be followed by an adjective: no-one taught by this method can be other than (not otherwise than ) successful; you are not allowed to use the building otherwise than as a private dwelling

Etymology

Origin of otherwise

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English (on) ōthre wīsan “(in) another manner”; equivalent to other + -wise

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

otherwise

News that the otherwise active pope had a cancerous tumour removed from his lung has rattled the Vatican and the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

“We would cover any obvious blemishes but otherwise literally pinched their cheeks.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Where does this rank in terms of threat level, legal or otherwise?

From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026

It’s surprising the number of otherwise politically aware folks who had no idea the debate was taking place tonight until I mentioned it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

The firms always claimed that they had no position themselves—that they were running matched books—but their behavior told him otherwise.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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