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Synonyms

no-win

American  
[noh-win] / ˈnoʊˈwɪn /

adjective

Informal.
  1. denoting a condition in which one cannot benefit, succeed, or win.

    a no-win situation; a no-win war.


no-win British  

adjective

  1. offering no possibility of a favourable outcome (esp in the phrase a no-win situation )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of no-win

First recorded in 1960–65

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.

For fans like Hawk, duking it out for tickets on the open market against New York’s 1% was simply a no-win proposition.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

The end result: Renters get caught in something of a no-win situation.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 4, 2025

These tactics deeply annoyed Burns, and they also created a no-win situation for him.

From Slate • Sep. 5, 2025

Many groups say that long term BP and others are pursuing a no-win strategy.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2025

I felt like I was in a no-win situation, but the battle would have been much harder to wage if I hadn't had my closest girlfriends in the trenches with me.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

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