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

Example Sentences

AFP saw multiple blazes burning on hillsides and along roads between Pai and Chiang Mai, lighting up patches of otherwise pitch-black countryside.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Safety regulators have been investigating parts that exploded in otherwise survivable crashes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The research team wanted to determine whether signals from these cells could disrupt otherwise healthy lungs.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

"I'm up at 06:00 - and what would I do otherwise? Stay in bed all day and do nothing? My mind would go blank."

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Eventually, Jack started to see birds and even some animals, magical and otherwise, in the underbrush, a sure sign that they’d left the Black Forest behind.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley