can't win

idiom

informal
used to say that success is not possible for someone in a particular situation
I feel like I can't win. Nothing I do seems to make any difference.
You can't win when you're dealing with someone so unreasonable.

Examples of can't win in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Another good, not great, not elite center who can't win faceoffs and maybe can score 20ish goals a year. Michael Russo, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024 That's probably a smart idea because if the biggest villain can't win House of Villains, there's definitely a flaw in the game somewhere. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 20 Dec. 2024 Still can't win puck battles or break the puck out, same old story. Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024 The Seahawks, meanwhile, suddenly can't win at home. Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024 And Mark Robinson is not going to win this race, can't win this race. ABC News, 22 Sep. 2024 That includes adherents of the far-right QAnon movement, which Trump frequently boosts, and other loyalists who promote the false notion that Democrats can't win elections without cheating. Zachary Basu, Axios, 12 Sep. 2024 Behind closed doors, however, two of the Senate's most endangered Democrats in the November, Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), told their colleagues that Biden can't win November. Axios, 10 July 2024 Biden can't win without strong support from Black voters, experts say. Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 17 June 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Can't win.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/can%27t%20win. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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