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.
Robert Goldman, a war crimes expert at the American University Washington College of Law, said that on energy sites, Trump "can't have it both ways."
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
Vance is trying to have it both ways.
From Salon • Mar. 16, 2026
Its premise is all about alignment: Post your face with and without the filter in quick succession—you “pass the test” on social media if your face looks the same both ways.
From Slate • Feb. 22, 2026
"I just feel like they can't have it both ways," said parent Leanne Hughes.
From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026
He held that in both ways it improves one’s character.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
