Definitions

all-or-nothing

[awl-er-nuhth-ing] / ˈɔl ərˈnʌθ ɪŋ /

ADJECTIVE

accepting no less than everything

Synonyms

STRONGEST

hard-line inflexible uncompromising unyielding

WEAK

adamant firm unbending

Antonyms

STRONGEST

flexible willing yielding

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.

As secretary of state, Dulles kept the U.S. out of major wars and came to recognize the danger of an all-or-nothing approach to nuclear weapons.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

But the United States is deploying a blunt, all-or-nothing approach.

From Slate • Feb. 13, 2026

It creates an all-or-nothing approach that is extremely hard to stick to.

From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025

“Get used to, on some of these hard days, selling out a little bit of your positions. I think people look at it like it’s an all-or-nothing proposition,” Kailas said.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 7, 2025

And the process was an all-or-nothing one; either you failed to modify at all, or else you modified the whole way.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley