all-or-nothing

adjective

all-or-noth·​ing

ˌȯl-ər-ˈnə-thiŋ

1

: all-or-none

2

a

: accepting no less than everything

he's an all-or-nothing perfectionist

b

: risking everything

an all-or-nothing combat strategy

Examples of all-or-nothing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Last thought: Maybe take a moment to reimagine your friendship with these people, to see it as a set of individual relationships rather than as a single, mainline, all-or-nothing attachment to the group-as-group. —James Parker, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2024

Additionally, this all-or-nothing approach can heighten feelings of guilt or inadequacy when participants slip up, potentially reinforcing negative cycles rather than breaking them. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

Prince is an intense, all-or-nothing type whose passionate pursuit of music industry success is immediately engaging. —Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 31 Oct. 2024

While striving for excellence can be motivating in some areas, this all-or-nothing mentality often leads to rigid expectations that are unsustainable. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1764, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

all-or-nothing

adjective

all-or-noth·​ing -ˈnəth-iŋ 

: all-or-none