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Definition or in American English

or conjunction

conjunction
/ɔr/
1

used for connecting possibilities or choices. In a list, "or" is usually used only before the last possibility or choice

Example

Which color do you want - red, green, yellow, or blue?

Example

He's probably at lunch or in a meeting.

Example

"When will you get the results?" "Either tomorrow or the day after."

Example

You don't care whether he lives or dies, do you?

Example

The jury must decide whether the prisoner is guilty or not.

Synonyms and related words
2

used for including someone or something else in a negative statement

Example

She's had nothing to eat or drink all day.

Example

I never had any help or advice from my parents.

Synonyms and related words
3

used between two similar numbers for showing that you do not know what the exact number is

Example

I can photocopy your notes. It'll only take a minute or two.

Example

The car has to be serviced every five or six thousand miles.

Synonyms and related words
4

used for saying what will happen if someone does not do something

Example

The soldiers told everyone to leave or they would be shot.

Example

We must deal with the problem now, or else it will be too late.

Example

You'd better do what I say, or else (=I will do something bad to you).

Synonyms and related words
5

used for introducing a comment that corrects or adds more information to what you have just said

Example

There are six cash machines, or ATMs, in the main airport terminal.

Example

This is a problem for the government, or rather for a federal agency, to deal with.

Synonyms and related words
6

used when you are trying to show that something must be true, by saying that the situation would be different if it was not true

Example

The candidate obviously hasn't chosen a running mate or he would have made the announcement.

Example

It must be something serious, or else they wouldn't have radioed for help.

Synonyms and related words
Definition or in American English

Related Words

Words related to or:

a thing or two (phrase) all-or-nothing (adjective) and/or (conjunction) beg or borrow something (phrase) believe it or not (phrase) by fair means or foul (phrase) by hook or by crook (phrase) can take something or leave it (phrase) cannot make head(s) tail(s) of something (phrase) cap (noun) come hell or high water (phrase) (come) rain or shine (phrase) do-or-die (adjective) double or nothing (phrase) either...or (phrase) either...or (...or) (phrase) feast or famine (phrase) fight or flight (noun) fish or cut bait (phrase) for better or (for) worse (phrase) for good or ill (phrase) for one reason or another (phrase) funny ha-ha or funny peculiar (phrase) funny or funny ha-ha (phrase) give or take (phrase) hit-or-miss (adjective) hoof (noun) hyperemesis (noun) in any shape or form (phrase) way, shape, or form (phrase) it’s now or never (phrase) kill or cure (phrase) make or break (phrase) make-or-break (adjective) more or less (phrase) nanobreak (noun) no rhyme or reason (phrase) not for love or money (phrase) not know whether to laugh or cry (phrase) not know whether you are coming or going (phrase) not know whether you’re coming or going (phrase) once or twice (phrase) one or two (phrase) one way or another (phrase) or (conjunction) OR (abbreviation) ...or anything (phrase) ...or bust (phrase) or else (phrase) or otherwise (phrase) or so (phrase) ...or some such (phrase) ...or something (like that) (phrase) or what? (phrase) or whatever (phrase) ...or whoever (phrase) rightly or wrongly (phrase) someone a trick or two (phrase) sink or swim (phrase) etc. or other (phrase) sooner or later (phrase) stand or fall something (phrase) someone down a peg (or two) (phrase) Tom, Dick, and Harry () trick or treat (noun) (whether you) like it or not (phrase) win or lose (phrase) without (let or) hindrance (phrase) without let or hindrance (phrase)