all-or-nothing
adjective
all-or-noth·ing
ˌȯl-ər-ˈnə-thiŋ
1
2
a
: accepting no less than everything
he's an all-or-nothing perfectionist
b
: risking everything
an all-or-nothing combat strategy
Examples of all-or-nothing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Framing discussions with anything in an all-or-nothing framework does not foster trust or communication.
—
Markus Lindblad, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
But strict daily practice can be unrealistic and lead to all-or-nothing thinking.
—Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, 6 Mar. 2025
Get ahead of a tween’s difficult feelings by recognizing the early signs of emotional distress, such as disruption in sleep and less interest in their hobbies, and reroute all-or-nothing thoughts, suggests Daniel Huy, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at Hackensack Meridian Health.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 4 Mar. 2025
Start Small Avoid all-or-nothing thinking—any exercise, even a little, is better than none.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for all-or-nothing
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Markus Lindblad, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
But strict daily practice can be unrealistic and lead to all-or-nothing thinking.
—Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, 6 Mar. 2025
Get ahead of a tween’s difficult feelings by recognizing the early signs of emotional distress, such as disruption in sleep and less interest in their hobbies, and reroute all-or-nothing thoughts, suggests Daniel Huy, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at Hackensack Meridian Health.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 4 Mar. 2025
Start Small Avoid all-or-nothing thinking—any exercise, even a little, is better than none.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for all-or-nothing
Cite this Entry
“All-or-nothing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-or-nothing. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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all-or-nothing
adjective
all-or-noth·ing
-ˈnəth-iŋ 
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