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swings and roundabouts

idiom

British, informal
used to say that two choices or situations are basically the same because they have an equal number of advantages and disadvantages
It is a case of swings and roundabouts.

Examples of swings and roundabouts in a Sentence

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These are monumental achievements, inconceivable in the past, that will allow the state to navigate the swings and roundabouts a deluded Congress imposes on us. Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2025

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“Swings and roundabouts.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swings%20and%20roundabouts. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.

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