one or the other
idiom
: one of two persons or things but not the other
One or the other of us will have to go.
Examples of one or the other in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Choosing between one or the other will come down to personal preference since neither has any glaring omissions or standout features.
—
PC Magazine, 19 May 2025
The most valuable executives aren't those who excel at one or the other but those who can dynamically shift between modes as circumstances demand.
—Mark Greeven, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The category is being led not by Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Everett, Washington – one or the other of those two has led the nation 18 of the last 22 years – but by what appears to be FedEx and UPS hubs in Memphis, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky., respectively.
—Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
The speaker system can also work in tandem with compatible Samsung soundbars with the company’s Q-Symphony feature, which takes advantage of both TV and soundbar drivers instead of only using one or the other.
—PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for one or the other
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
PC Magazine, 19 May 2025
The most valuable executives aren't those who excel at one or the other but those who can dynamically shift between modes as circumstances demand.
—Mark Greeven, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The category is being led not by Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Everett, Washington – one or the other of those two has led the nation 18 of the last 22 years – but by what appears to be FedEx and UPS hubs in Memphis, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky., respectively.
—Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
The speaker system can also work in tandem with compatible Samsung soundbars with the company’s Q-Symphony feature, which takes advantage of both TV and soundbar drivers instead of only using one or the other.
—PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for one or the other
Cite this Entry
“One or the other.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one%20or%20the%20other. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share