you can't win 'em all

1. Success is not inevitable, as in They published your article but not your rebuttal to the reviewer? Well, you can't win 'em all. [First half of 1900s] For a synonym, see win some, lose some.

Example Sentences

Oh, well — you can't win 'em all.

Read more on Salon

But as they say, you can’t win ’em all — and this one, frankly, seemed like it couldn’t be won.

Read more on Seattle Times

And no one expects the Lakers to come back to Los Angeles still unbeaten on the road, but as the basketball adage goes, “You can’t win ‘em all if you don’t win the first one.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“We’re one of the few teams in America left that still control their own destiny in terms of the ability to reach their conference championship. We know you can’t win ’em all until you win the first one.”

Read more on Washington Times

True enough, and the first rule of sports is that you can’t win ’em all.

Read more on New York Times