if not :

if not

“He was smart if not exactly brilliant.” In this sort of expression, “if not” links a weaker with a stronger word with a related meaning. Other examples: “unattractive if not downright ugly,” “reasonably priced if not exactly cheap,” “interested if not actually excited.”But this sort of “if not” is often misused to link words that don’t form a weaker/stronger pair: “obscure if not boring,” “happy if not entertained,” “anxious if not afraid.” The linked terms in these examples do have some logical relationship, but they do not form a weaker/stronger pair.

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Definitions
  if not
  • r  perhaps; indicating possibility of being more remarkable (greater or better or sooner) than
News & Articles
  if not
  • Talks offer hope for family of POW
    Bowe Bergdahl, the only American POW in Afghanistan, has doubtless been at the forefront of his parents' minds, if not atop the national conscience.
    June 20, 2013 - CNN
  • Ian Thomsen: Heat, Spurs face a Game 7 for which they've long prepared
    MIAMI -- The Heat would not be playing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Thursday if not for Ray Allen. The reason they had survived the final crushing moments of Game 6 was because the ball found the player who most knew what to do with it. It was because of stars like him that the Heat will be confident of defending their championship in the seventh game. But Allen understands that not everyone ...
    June 19, 2013 - Sports Illustrated
  • Customer Experience Key To 'Computing Everywhere' Business Success
    As a consumer, I love shiny new things. I use my smartphone and tablet as much as, if not more than, my PC. But I?m flummoxed by the latest destination on the downsizing roadmap?wearable computers. I don?t need a machine to monitor my heart rate; it rises when I run for the bus. Dick Tracy watches, like the Kickstarter-funded Pebble, are appealing, even if they duplicate on the one hand the ...
    June 13, 2013 - Forbes