Definitions

what if

[hwuht-if, hwot‑, wuht‑, wot‑] / ˈʰwʌtˈɪf, ˈʰwɒt‑, ˈwʌt‑, ˈwɒt‑ /

CONJUNCTION

suppose that

Synonyms

WEAK

but imagine supposing that

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I certainly hope not, but what if it ends up like Chinatown, where all the Chinese people moved to the San Gabriel Valley?”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

But what if the AI strategies become predominant?

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

"I thought, 'I'm going to download the app and give it a try. If nothing happens, it doesn't matter because nothing else is working out for me. But what if something does happen?'" he said.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

"But then I thought, what if she dies without the surgery? This way at least she will be alive."

From BBC • May 18, 2026

His parents wouldn’t know me, but what if I ran into Russell himself?

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu