1
as in assumption
something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning
your conclusion may turn out to be accurate, but you're postulating a lot of ifs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in condition
something upon which the carrying out of an agreement or offer depends
there are a number of ifs in the proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of if
So which team has best chance of actually winning?
Keeler: Deion Sanders taking CU Buffs to College Football Playoff feels like when, not an if.
—
Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 10 Dec. 2024
There’s no if’s, and’s or but’s about it: the Rangers can’t waste this opportunity against a tanking opponent.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas News, 6 Sep. 2023
There’s no questions or ifs or buts, that is the end of it.
—Herb Scribner, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2023
But still, they should be haunted by the if-onlys.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 9 Feb. 2023
As a result, discontent with the manager is growing, and with a 7 ½-month gap between the end of qualifying and the start of this fall’s World Cup in Qatar, this would be the time to make a change - if, indeed, a change is coming.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2022
On Monday, Circa Sports posted Georgia as a 3-point favorite - with the over/under at 50.5 - if, or when, the Tide clinches the SEC West.
—Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 15 Nov. 2021
OOF: If the Senate manages to pass its health-care bill -- and that's a mammoth IF -- the House seems ready to give it the nod, too, my colleague Paul Kane writes.
—Paige Winfield Cunningham, Washington Post, 17 July 2017
But if all goes as planned – a big IF in the restaurant business –
—Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, 12 July 2017
Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 10 Dec. 2024
There’s no if’s, and’s or but’s about it: the Rangers can’t waste this opportunity against a tanking opponent.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas News, 6 Sep. 2023
There’s no questions or ifs or buts, that is the end of it.
—Herb Scribner, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2023
But still, they should be haunted by the if-onlys.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 9 Feb. 2023
As a result, discontent with the manager is growing, and with a 7 ½-month gap between the end of qualifying and the start of this fall’s World Cup in Qatar, this would be the time to make a change - if, indeed, a change is coming.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2022
On Monday, Circa Sports posted Georgia as a 3-point favorite - with the over/under at 50.5 - if, or when, the Tide clinches the SEC West.
—Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 15 Nov. 2021
OOF: If the Senate manages to pass its health-care bill -- and that's a mammoth IF -- the House seems ready to give it the nod, too, my colleague Paul Kane writes.
—Paige Winfield Cunningham, Washington Post, 17 July 2017
But if all goes as planned – a big IF in the restaurant business –
—Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, 12 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for if
Noun
-
People will chew on the Broadway first of an Othello directed and lead-produced by black men—Leon and Brian Anthony Moreland, respectively—and cut their assumptions about that to fit their pre-existing views.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2025
-
The idea of receiving free money taps into our natural aversion to missing out and the default assumption that any message appearing to be from the government is legitimate.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Manchester United, Bournemouth, West Ham United and Everton are in advanced talks to participate in the Premier League’s Summer Series event in the United States at the end of July, according to multiple sources familiar with the deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity.—
Adam Crafton,
The Athletic,
18 Feb. 2025
-
According to the Associated Press, citing three FDA staffers on the condition of anonymity, probationary employees across the FDA received notices Saturday evening that their jobs were being eliminated.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
But actually, Darwin’s theory is based on fitness to survive, which does not always mean big and strong.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
-
For highly social animals like humans and other primates, the native opioid system may also play a role in social bonding, according to one influential theory.—
Moises Velasquez-Manoff Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Zak Mouton,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
One of the provisions addresses the problem raised by the DBPR secretary last week.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
25 Feb. 2025
-
By 2017, the denaturalization provisions were removed, and a new law re-nationalized any Canadian stripped of their citizenship on national security grounds.—
Max Saltman,
CNN,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
There are some givens in the B’s lineup, as long as there’s good health.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
26 Sep. 2024
-
About the only givens seemingly would be Bam Adebayo making first-team All-Defense for the first time, after second-team such nods the past four seasons, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. making first-team All-Rookie.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Apr. 2024
Noun
-
If a recruit was outside these requirements, the applicant was granted 90 days to comply with Army regulations.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
26 Feb. 2025
-
The Department of Homeland Security will soon announce a form to complete the registration requirement, according to the post.—
Rebecca Falconer,
Axios,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Before moving forward with the concept of a trade, both Arenado and Mozeliak had to come to terms with each other’s stipulations.—
Katie Woo,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
-
While the Reimagine Tomorrow website previously included information about accessible design and goals for more inclusive content, the new page does not include such stipulations.—
James Factora,
Them,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The exception is the SanDisk Desk Drive, which is a tabletop SSD that requires its own power source.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
23 Feb. 2025
-
The only exception to this rule, the official said, would be when the videos of the rapes were shown.—
Katie Ebner-Landy,
The New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to if
Cite this Entry
“If.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/if. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share