ei·ther-or
ˌē-t͟hər-ˈȯr 
also ˌī-
: an unavoidable choice or exclusive division between only two alternatives
: of or marked by either-or : black-and-white
Examples of either-or in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Steven Levy, Wired News, 28 Mar. 2025
Then, that group convinced schools that winning in football and basketball wasn’t an either-or proposition.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
The bunnies offered an either-or that seems to have tickled her interest in the intersection between what’s literal and abstract: the mind conspires with the eye to see bodies in shapes or shapes in bodies.
—Robert Sullivan, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2025
Leaders who embrace this truth see that relationships and achievement aren’t an either-or proposition.
—Jennifer Kamara, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
The ‘either-or’ narrative makes no sense even at the slightest glance.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Rather than seeing college and nontraditional education as either-or choices, families should embrace a both-and mindset—one that prioritizes adaptability, lifelong learning, and a willingness to pivot as new opportunities emerge.
—Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Yet as more starting pitchers try to extract more movement and velocity out of their pitch mix, it's almost become an either-or proposition.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 11 Jan. 2025
Accordingly, instead of bits, with their either-or operation, quantum computing uses a quantum bit, or qubit, which is a system that can be simultaneously in states 0 and 1.
—Charina Chou, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
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Noun
Olah, like many in the community who balance visions of utopian abundance and existential devastation, plants himself in the middle of this either-or proposition.
—Steven Levy, Wired News, 28 Mar. 2025
Then, that group convinced schools that winning in football and basketball wasn’t an either-or proposition.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
The bunnies offered an either-or that seems to have tickled her interest in the intersection between what’s literal and abstract: the mind conspires with the eye to see bodies in shapes or shapes in bodies.
—Robert Sullivan, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2025
Leaders who embrace this truth see that relationships and achievement aren’t an either-or proposition.
—Jennifer Kamara, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
The ‘either-or’ narrative makes no sense even at the slightest glance.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Rather than seeing college and nontraditional education as either-or choices, families should embrace a both-and mindset—one that prioritizes adaptability, lifelong learning, and a willingness to pivot as new opportunities emerge.
—Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Yet as more starting pitchers try to extract more movement and velocity out of their pitch mix, it's almost become an either-or proposition.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 11 Jan. 2025
Accordingly, instead of bits, with their either-or operation, quantum computing uses a quantum bit, or qubit, which is a system that can be simultaneously in states 0 and 1.
—Charina Chou, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Either-or.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/either-or. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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