otherwise

American  

[uhth-er-wahyz] / ˈʌð ərˌwaɪz /

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 British  

/ 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

Etymology

Origin of otherwise

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

Example Sentences

The researchers emphasized that early morning shift workers have not been widely studied, and the current trial lasted only four weeks and included otherwise healthy adults.

From Science Daily

She said she and Helen were keen to make the workshops fun as, otherwise, afro hair care "becomes an inconvenience rather than something that's enjoyable".

From BBC

“If I want to watch something, I’ll throw on three episodes, but otherwise I’m so out of the loop with any other television show that might be considered current,” Fitzgerald said.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Wi-Fi woes overshadowed an otherwise luxe trip.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The landscape shifted so dramatically that we had to reset, otherwise we were going to be climbing this mountain for more than a decade,” Jacobson said at the town hall.

From The Wall Street Journal