all-or-nothing

adjective

all-or-noth·​ing

ˌȯl-ər-ˈnə-thiŋ

1

: all-or-none

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

Founders do not have to treat open-source technology as an all-or-nothing decision. — Aaron Timm, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

That was met with an all-or-nothing strike from the labor side. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026

Doing a job little by little — or styling to-do list tasks that way — has been more effective than anticipating it with the all-or-nothing thinking that can make responsibilities feel daunting. — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Alcoholics Anonymous, which Pitt attended for 18 months after Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, sees sobriety as all-or-nothing with no exceptions, Schrank pointed out. — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1764, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for all-or-nothing

• nothing

Medical Definition

all-or-nothing

adjective

all-or-noth·​ing -ˈnəth-iŋ 

: all-or-none