Or example sentences
Related (10): and, but, nor, either, otherwise, alternatively, conjunction, disjunction, choice, option
"Or" Example Sentences
Common Phrases
- either...or
- or else
- or so
- or something
- or rather
- or at least
- more or less
- sooner or later
- now or never
- all or nothing
- love it or hate it
- take it or leave it
Examples by Level
A1
- Do you want tea or coffee?
- Is it a cat or a dog?
- We can go now or wait here.
A2
- I wasn't sure if I should call him or just send a message.
- You can take the bus or walk — it's only ten minutes either way.
- She didn't know whether to laugh or cry when she saw the mess.
B1
- I keep telling myself I'll start the project tomorrow, but honestly, I'm just procrastinating or making excuses at this point.
- The thing is, you can plan all you want, but life has a way of throwing curveballs — or worse.
- He seemed angry or maybe just tired; it was hard to tell with him.
B2
- What struck me most wasn't the failure itself, but rather the realization that I'd been afraid of it all along — or perhaps afraid of succeeding.
- She had every reason to stay or leave, and the fact that she chose neither made the whole situation even more complicated.
- The report suggests the economy will either stabilize or decline further, depending on policy decisions made in the next quarter.
C1
- There's something almost perverse about how we construct narratives around failure — we either mythologize it as a learning opportunity or dismiss it entirely, rarely acknowledging the genuine loss involved.
- The tension between individual autonomy and collective responsibility remains unresolved, or perhaps irresolvable, in contemporary democratic theory.
- What we interpret as confidence in others is often merely the absence of visible doubt — or our own inability to recognize uncertainty when it's dressed in conviction.
C2
- The paradox of modern communication is that we've never had more ways to reach one another, yet we're somehow more isolated — or perhaps we've simply become more honest about the isolation that was always there.
- He'd spent decades building something meaningful, only to discover that meaning itself was contingent, or worse, that it had been contingent all along and he'd simply refused to see it.
- There exists a peculiar kind of wisdom in accepting that some questions don't have answers — or that the asking itself is the only answer worth having.
Examples by Scenario
🏠 Everyday Life
- I can either make dinner now or just order something — honestly, I'm leaning toward the latter.
- The dog keeps barking at the fence or maybe at something in the bushes; I can't figure out which.
- My neighbor asked if I wanted to grab coffee or just catch up over the fence like we usually do.
💼 Workplace
- The meeting got pushed back or possibly canceled — nobody's sent a clear update yet.
- I could ask my manager directly or wait and see if it comes up in the next team sync.
- Someone left their lunch in the office fridge with a note saying 'Please don't eat this or I will know.'
📊 Business
- The client wants to either expand the contract or renegotiate the terms — we're waiting on their decision.
- Our Q3 projections show growth or at least stabilization, which is better than we expected given the market conditions.
- The partnership fell through because they wanted exclusivity or we weren't willing to commit — depends on who you ask.
🛒 Buying / Shopping
- I'm trying to decide between the expensive brand or the store version that's half the price.
- The salesperson kept insisting the warranty was essential or just trying to upsell me — I honestly couldn't tell.
- These shoes are either a great deal or they're going to fall apart in a month; the reviews are all over the place.
✈️ Travel
- We could take the scenic route or just stick to the highway and get there faster.
- The hotel receptionist said the room either has a view or it doesn't — not the most helpful clarification.
- Traveling with kids means you're either constantly entertained or completely exhausted, sometimes both at once.
📚 Education
- The assignment is due Friday or Monday — I should probably check the syllabus instead of guessing.
- My son asked if dinosaurs were real or just made up for movies, and I realized I had no good answer.
- The teacher said we could write the essay or do a presentation, and suddenly everyone wanted to present.
❤️ Relationships
- We broke up because he wanted to move or I wasn't ready to leave — we both had valid reasons, but it didn't matter.
- She texted me asking if I was mad or just quiet, and the fact that she could tell the difference meant everything.
- I don't know if he loves me or if he's just comfortable, and that uncertainty is eating me alive.
📰 News / Politics
- The official statement claims the policy will create jobs or reduce costs — analysts are skeptical of both claims.
- Protesters gathered outside city hall demanding action or at least acknowledgment of the problem.
- The senator's voting record suggests he either changed his mind or was never sincere about his campaign promises.
💻 Technology
- The app crashed or maybe my phone just froze — either way, I lost all my progress.
- You can use the software for free or pay for the premium version with fewer ads.
- The AI generated something impressive or completely nonsensical depending on how you phrased the prompt.
📝 Formal Writing
- The study indicates that the intervention was effective or inconclusive, with results varying significantly across demographic groups.
- Regulations governing workplace safety have either strengthened or remained stagnant depending on the jurisdiction and time period examined.
- The data suggests a correlation between increased screen time or reduced physical activity and declining mental health outcomes in adolescents.