there is no such thing as a free lunch
phrase
—used to say that it is not possible to get something that is desired or valuable without having to pay for it in some way
Video
There, They're, Their
There, there. We'll sort it out.
Cite this Entry
“There is no such thing as a free lunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/there%20is%20no%20such%20thing%20as%20a%20free%20lunch. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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