every man for himself

Idioms

Each individual puts his or her own interests foremost. For example, In this company no one helps anyone—it's every man for himself. In Chaucer's day this dictum was stated approvingly, meaning “if you don't look out for yourself, no one else will,” but today such selfishness is usually censured. Despite the wording, the term applies to either sex.

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.

But with Southwest’s open seating, it was every man for himself.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026

A fisherman in Bas-Limbe anonymously told the UN sanctions report's authors it was "every man for himself" and that he had seen hundreds of people hospitalized for various ailments including infections.

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

"When we go home it is every man for himself," Tom added.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2025

It’s every man for himself on the S.S.

From Washington Times • May 18, 2023

Until the ideal mix was found, it was going to be every man for himself.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023