either-or
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of either-or
First recorded in 1925–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The either-or greeting was odd to hear at an airline-departures curb, but this was no ordinary drop-off point.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
In the siloes of social media, all things must be either-or; there is no “and.”
From Salon ● Mar. 11, 2026
This looms as the one either-or competition on the line between former UW standout Harris, signed to a one-year deal as a free agent, and 2023 fifth-round pick Oluwatimi.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 19, 2024
Gonzalez, whose group seeks to safeguard the wages and working conditions of apparel workers, resisted the notion of housing and jobs as an either-or proposition.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2023
“Mia Oh-My- Uh. I’m not giving anything up. It’s not an either-or proposition. Teaching or music. Jeans or suits. Music will always be a part of my life.”
From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
