not in the cards

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.

The White House said emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would engage in an "in-person conversation" with Iranian representatives, but Iranian state media said that direct negotiations were not in the cards.

From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026

We will continue to watch January VIX futures versus February VIX futures for signs of inversion; that is not in the cards right now, as February continues to trade higher than January.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 2, 2026

Hopping around after that is not in the cards for anybody.

From Salon • Jul. 4, 2025

“There’s a lot of guys that can play shortstop here. If that’s not in the cards, that’s cool. I can go from there, anywhere else. Just prepare, and where I land is where I land.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2024

He had recently made a decision with his medical school that becoming a doctor was not in the cards for him, and he moved to the Bronx, where he worked as a pharmaceutical salesman.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore