both ways
Britishadjective
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another term for each way
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(usually with a negative) to try to get the best of a situation, argument, etc, by chopping and changing between alternatives or opposites
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 subtler communication went both ways: Tehran’s allies were greeted with complimentary verses from the Quran.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Tesla being tied to Musk can cut both ways, however.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
But comebacks can work both ways – San Antonio may be the new underdogs, but they could still win, if they take the next three matches.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
Suozzi said Schenck wanted to keep C Street quiet, to have it both ways.
From Salon ● May 29, 2026
I look both ways before slipping it under the door, and lean against the wall, listening.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
