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

There is now also enough evidence to move the conversation away from all-or-nothing fitness goals and toward small changes that are far more likely to stick. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026

It’s often framed as an all-or-nothing challenge to stop drinking after the holidays, when alcohol consumption is often higher. —Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026

Malinin will be joined on the men’s side by Andrew Torgashev, the all-or-nothing 24-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida, and Maxim Naumov, the 24-year-old from Simsbury, Connecticut, who fulfilled the hopes of his late parents by making the Olympic team. —Dallas Morning News, 11 Jan. 2026

The major studios largely have largely stopped trying to hit singles and doubles because their model is increasingly based on the all-or-nothing swing. —Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 9 Jan. 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