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all or nothing
/ɔːl ɔːr ˈnʌθɪŋ/◆idiom
extreme approach with no middle ground
She adopted an all-or-nothing attitude toward her diet, refusing to eat anything unhealthy.
She took an extreme approach to her diet, allowing no exceptions.
informal
An approach that involves total commitment to a goal with no compromise or middle ground.
The startup took an all-or-nothing approach to their product launch, betting everything on its success.
The startup fully committed to their product launch without any backup plans.
His all-or-nothing strategy in negotiations often left little room for compromise.
His extreme negotiation tactics rarely allowed for middle-ground solutions.
Often used to describe high-risk, high-reward situations where partial success is not acceptable.
Collocations
all-or-nothing approacha strategy with no compromiseall-or-nothing attitudean extreme mindset with no middle ground
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage Context
Use this phrase when describing situations where partial success is not an option.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
This phrase is strong and should be used sparingly to maintain its impact.
Word Origin
The phrase likely originated from gambling or high-stakes situations where one either wins everything or loses everything.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in business, sports, and personal decision-making contexts to describe a high-risk, high-reward mindset.
Word Breakdown
all
the entirety
rootor
a choice between two options
rootnothing
the absence of anything
rootEnglish Dictionary