otherwise

[uhth-er-wahyz]

adverb

1. under other circumstances.

   Otherwise they may get broken.

2. in another manner; differently.

   Under the circumstances, I can't believe otherwise.

3. in other respects.

   an otherwise happy life.

conjunction

1. or else; if not.

   Button up your overcoat, otherwise you'll catch cold.

adjective

1. other or different; of another nature or kind.

   We hoped his behavior would be otherwise.

2. in other or different circumstances.

   An otherwise pleasure had become a grinding chore.

otherwise

/ ˈʌðəˌwaɪz /

1. or else; if not, then

   go home — otherwise your mother will worry

adverb

1. differently

   I wouldn't have thought otherwise

2. in other respects

   an otherwise hopeless situation

adjective

1. (predicative) of an unexpected nature; different

   the facts are otherwise

pronoun

1. something different in outcome

   success or otherwise

Usage

The expression otherwise than means in any other way than and should not be followed by an adjective: no-one taught by this method can be other than (not otherwise than ) successful; you are not allowed to use the building otherwise than as a private dwelling

Word History and Origins

Origin of otherwise¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English (on) ōthre wīsan “(in) another manner”; equivalent to other + -wise

Word History and Origins

Origin of otherwise¹

C14: from Old English on ōthre wīsan in other manner

Example Sentences

“From the bench, Judge Monguia stated that Judge Marcus was lucky the bailiff was not there, otherwise he would have ordered her to ‘shoot’ Judge Marcus or words to that effect.”

From Los Angeles Times

Defence minister Israel Katz said on Friday that Israeli military activity would "intensify" until Hamas accepted Israel's conditions to end the war, threatening that the armed group would be "destroyed" otherwise.

From BBC

Building on that momentum gives the team something to play for in the final month of an otherwise lost season.

From Los Angeles Times

His "brilliant" performance, as Bellamy described it, was a shining light in an otherwise patchy team performance, and his emergence adds to the coach's defensive options for the rest of this campaign.

From BBC

Ned may be driven by an outdated sense of devotion to yesterday’s journalism, when reporters attended local government meetings and exposed malfeasance about which his neighbors would otherwise be ignorant.

From Salon