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
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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
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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
-
Use data to challenge assumptions, validate decisions and guide strategy.—
Mark Kane,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
-
Maryland’s green energy plan assumptions are a fantasy.—
David T. Stevenson,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
New Orleans, hit hard by the snow, will see temperatures in the low to mid 60s by Sunday with conditions on most of its roads improving Friday and beyond.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA TODAY,
25 Jan. 2025
-
She was born with a condition known as hydrocephalus, which doctors said was caused by a listeriosis infection that her mother contracted while pregnant.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The theory dates to An Emerging Democratic Majority, an influential 2002 book by political scientists John B. Judis and Ruy Teixeira.—
Jane Hong / Made by History,
TIME,
24 Jan. 2025
-
All three men were national and international icons whose assassinations — and the theories swirling around them — became the stuff of books, movies, controversy, and the pages of history itself.—
Michael Loria,
USA TODAY,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But doing so would likely require the help of Congress, and so California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 16 other attorneys general have written to congressional leaders — Democrat and Republican — urging them to keep the provisions of the law in place.—
Andrew Sheeler,
Sacramento Bee,
20 Jan. 2025
-
Image The law has a provision to penalize app store operators like Apple and Google and internet hosting companies like Oracle for distributing or maintaining the TikTok app.—
Sapna Maheshwari,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 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
-
To comply with the new requirements, producers either need to start cooking their products or come up with another way to cut the risk in their food safety plans.—
Alexander Tin,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2025
-
Trump also moved ahead with rolling back EPA tailpipe emissions rules that Republicans have characterized as an effective requirement for consumers to buy electric vehicles.—
Daniel Moore,
Axios,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Without that auto-bye stipulation, the Big Ten and SEC title games would have featured four teams with byes already locked up, dropping the stakes.—
Chris Vannini,
The Athletic,
17 Jan. 2025
-
But these calls have been met with backlash from both Democrats and Republicans in California, who argue that states typically get funding without any political stipulations.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Cohen is obviously fully on board with Stearns’ philosophy of limiting free agent deals to three years or fewer (the Soto contract of course being the notable exception).—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
18 Jan. 2025
-
With one exception … Level 9: The Deserter This is the owner who wants to move the team.—
Sean McIndoe,
The Athletic,
17 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to if
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Cite this Entry
“If.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/if. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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