How to Use if not for in a Sentence

if not for

idiom

• Mevaseret said that if not for them, her mother would have gone crazy with worry and pain.
  — Judith Segaloff, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2023
• So Herro embraced and seized his moment, with what would have been the play of the game if not for Randle’s play of the game.
  — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2023
• Hogan said that if not for the coroner’s report, Khater might be facing a murder charge.
  — Rachel Weiner and Spencer S. Hsu, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Jan. 2023
• Phillips drew a cat eye, which would have been subtle if not for its vibrant bubblegum-pink hue.
  — Gabi Thorne, Allure, 6 Mar. 2023
• But if not for Dylan Disu, Texas probably doesn’t advance to the Sweet 16.
  — Michael Arinze, Chicago Tribune, 20 Mar. 2023
• The number would have been higher if not for labor shortages.
  — Spencer Jakab, WSJ, 19 Dec. 2022
• But this insight could otherwise be trapped/untapped, if not for the hackathon to help surface it.
  — Dan Garfield, Forbes, 3 May 2023
• But none of it would be possible if not for his willingness to bet on himself and take risks.
  — Ebony Flake, Essence, 18 Jan. 2023
• Walden said Abdulrahman would still be anonymous and still be free if not for the leak from Twitter.
  — Jim Axelrod, CBS News, 7 June 2023
• Eymann said if not for his son's donation, the city would likely have never put up a piece for Swanston.
  — CBS News, 29 Dec. 2022
• Sanders has said if not for Bevin's pardon, Bandy would have still been behind bars for his 2017 conviction.
  — Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 1 Feb. 2023
• The muscle pumps would be useless if not for one-way values in veins located below the heart.
  — Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 11 May 2023
• The whole scene could have been plucked from a charming teenage comedy if not for the fact that, well, Jackie’s dead, and Shauna’s imagining all of this.
  — Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2023
• Svoma started by jotting down the data, and might normally have left the jabbing to Keller if not for the unusual depth.
  — Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2023
• In all likelihood, there would have been another production record set in 2020 if not for Covid.
  — Robert Rapier, Forbes, 3 May 2023
• The ridership numbers would be greater if not for three circumstances out of the Silver Line’s control, Metro leaders say.
  — Justin George, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2023
• That's all neat, and the promise of a phone that's small in your pocket yet big in your hand would be a compelling idea if not for a laundry list of practicality concerns.
  — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 1 Mar. 2023
• Cleveland thought if not for that, Zhuric — a state champion and state tournament MVP — might’ve had more interest.
  — Joseph Hoyt, Dallas News, 13 Mar. 2023
• The Panthers likely don’t walk out with a win if not for their effort on the glass, securing 18 offensive rebounds for 25 second-chance points.
  — Journal Sentinel, 2 Feb. 2023
• The horrific sequence of events that Jan. 14 night would have unfolded in another manner if not for Miller.
  — Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2023
• Stanford's loss would have been far more lopsided if not for Cameron Brink's spectacular effort.
  — Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2023
• The third and latest season is an overstuffed entry that, if not for the foundation established by the show’s capable cast, would be a nonsensical mess.
  — Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE, 25 Feb. 2023
• This walk to the altar was significant, as her scoliosis diagnosis could've prevented the sweet moment if not for her surgery.
  — Ariana Quihuiz, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2023
• Why not put that supervision in the hands of people who will use the information, if not for monetary policy then for financial stability, or for making sure that risks are appropriately managed for the protection of customers and clients?
  — Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2023
• What is spring training for, if not for these seemingly esoteric philosophical baseball arguments?
  — Dallas News, 17 Feb. 2023
• McNamara seemed to suggest that publishers would have been further enriched if not for IA providing unprecedented free, unlimited e-books access.
  — Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 20 Mar. 2023

Last Updated: 24 Jul 2024