or what

Idioms  

1. A phrase following a statement that adds emphasis or suggests an option. For example, in Is this a good movie or what? the phrase asks for confirmation or agreement. However, it also may ask for an alternative, as in Is this book a biography or what? In the 1700s it generally asked for a choice among a series of options, and it still has this function, as in In what does John excel? in imagination? in reasoning powers? in mathematics? or what?

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

or what

Who or what do you have in mind when you write songs like that?

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

The Social Security Administration did not respond to a request for comment, or to questions regarding why there was so much incomplete data or what about citizenship statuses were inaccurate.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

"We don't know for sure where the information is sent or what it's used for," NSM official Andreas Skjold-Lorange told AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

He didn’t say what the charge level was or what it needed to be upon return or even mention I had an EV.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

“Dilly Knox says the Americans are hopelessly behind on codebreaking and spying. They know nothing about the Park or what we’re doing here.”

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

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