up-or-out
Americanadjective
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.
Having survived the up-or-out early years at the firm, he saw a path to advancement and balked.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026
The department then had a strict up-or-out promotion policy for diplomats — either you were promoted, or you were “selected out.”
From Washington Post • Mar. 20, 2019
In the 1960s, the department had an up-or-out policy – diplomats were either promoted or they were “selected out”, to use the department’s Orwellian term.
From The Guardian • Apr. 22, 2018
“This is the ultimate up-or-out business,” Freier said.
From New York Times • Apr. 9, 2017
The U.S. military uses this up-or-out system when considering soldiers for promotion.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 17, 2014
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.
