no-win situation

Idioms

A situation certain to end in failure or disappointment, as in If the in-laws visit them or they visit the in-laws, either way they see it as a no-win situation. [c. 1960]

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.

It was a classic no-win situation: She could make a show of raising hopes, which then would be dashed; or she could hunker down and keep expectations low.

From Washington Post

“You burn out because this is a no-win situation,” she said.

From New York Times

You talk about the awful, no-win situation we often find ourselves in at work.

From Salon

Nearly everyone The Times interviewed said Mr. Mayorkas was in a no-win situation.

From New York Times

New Hampshire leaders say the DNC has put them in a no-win situation.

From Washington Times

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