what-if
what-if · what-ifs
A speculation as to what might have happened if something else had happened earlierA speculation as to what might have happened if something else had happened earlier.
Meaning
2 senses(informal)A speculation as to what might have happened if something else had happened earlier.
(informal)A hypothetical case or situation, usually evoked by a sense of anxiety or uncertainty.
Forms
plural: what-ifsWord family
2 related wordsRelatedwhat if
Derivedwhat-iffery