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; eldritch ) + -es -s 1

Example Sentences

"No one should ever feel like they're the problem for being wrapped up in something like this, because of someone else."

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

That outlook assumes that U.S. tariffs stay at 30% on imports from China, and at 20% on imports from everywhere else.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Their quandary is that nobody else can substitute for America’s military and economic might in the foreseeable future.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

"Granted, when I look at that, I look at it and go, he's just a human being like everyone else and we have struggles. It's unfortunate."

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

But Gingersnipes had a wide-open nature, if nothing else, and did not seem upset by the inquiry.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman