unless

American  

[uhn-les, uhn-] / ʌnˈlɛs, ən- /

conjunction

1. except under the circumstances that.

   I'll be there at nine, unless the train is late.

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preposition

1. except; but; save.

   Nothing will come of it, unless disaster.

unless British  

/ ʌnˈlɛs /

conjunction

1. (subordinating) except under the circumstances that; except on the condition that

   they'll sell it unless he hears otherwise

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preposition

1. rare except

Etymology

Origin of unless

1400–50; late ME prepositional phrase on less (also o less(e) , earlier upon less ) on a lesser footing or condition (than); first used as a preposition and conjunction in the early 16th century; see on, less

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unless

Flynn told Rennie he had not been given a briefing about the story though he quickly clarified "unless I've missed it".

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

"At the same time, the warning could be interpreted as stopping short of completely foreclosing inter-Korean dialogue: essentially telling Seoul not to interfere unless it has something substantial to offer."

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

But last month, more than 800 businesses, including top UK chefs, wrote an open letter to the PM, saying there would be more pub and restaurant closures unless VAT was reduced.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

The enthusiasm for investing in an asset riskier than government debt wanes as yields rise, and stock prices tend to drop unless earnings expectations are growing enough to make up for it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

“Nobody looks at those files unless something happens,” Isadora said.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste