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

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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.
Because in the end, the future doesn’t belong to one or the other. Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025 Some people may only have one or the other, but most norovirus patients will experience both diarrhea and vomiting, Edwards said. Jenna Anderson, Health, 7 Feb. 2025 In moments like this, Broe’s script (co-written with William Lippert) adeptly navigates a rounded trans story arc that encompasses both the positive and the negative without leaning too hard on one or the other. David Opie, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2025 Doing both spikes your risk 5-fold over engaging in just one or the other. Erica Sloan, SELF, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for one or the other

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Cite this Entry

“One or the other.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one%20or%20the%20other. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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