Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
You use ~ when you are talking about a choice or doubt between two or more alternatives.
To this day, it’s unclear ~ he shot himself or was murdered...
They now have two weeks to decide ~ or not to buy...
I don’t know ~ they’ve found anybody yet.
CONJ
2.
You use ~ to say that something is true in any of the circumstances that you mention.
Whether they say it aloud or not, most men expect their wives to be faithful.
...beers and lagers of all kinds, ~ bottled or draught.
CONJ