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

Recent Examples on the Web In DeLong’s account, one or the other of these ideologies has been ascendant at various points. —

Liaquat Ahamed, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2022 While some potting mixes can be used for both indoor and outdoor containers, there are good reasons to choose a potting soil designed for one or the other. —

Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 May 2024 In the last 10 seasons, the 2016 Cavs and 2021 Bucks were the only champions to not have either a top 10 clutch defense or net rating, and only the 2014 Spurs and 2020 Lakers had one or the other. —

Esfandiar Baraheni, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Unfortunately, there is no resolution until the religious/political philosophies of one or the other experience a radical change. —

Letters To The Editor, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for one or the other

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'one or the other.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Style

“One or the other.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one%20or%20the%20other. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

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