coin flip
Heads or tails
A coin flip is a method of deciding something by chance—tossing a coin and seeing which side lands up.
The two outcomes (heads or tails) give roughly equal odds, making it useful for settling disputes or making arbitrary choices: Let's decide by coin flip.
Figuratively, anything with even odds is a coin flip: The election is a coin flip at this point.
- fifty-fiftySplit equally between two
- even oddsEqual probability both ways
- tailsRear animal appendages
- chanceLikelihood of occurrence
- random chanceUncontrolled probability
two sides · tiebreaker · sudden death · winner takes all · odds · probability · luck · toss · heads · fate · two-up · fairness · dice roll · unpredictability · double-headed · impartiality · superstition · sweepstakes
- probabilityprobability, chance, random, randomness, odds
- game startskickoff, tip-off, tipoff, face-off, puck drop
- random selectiondice roll, lottery, raffle, random draw, drawing straws
- random selection methodslottery, raffle, dice roll, ticket draw, blind draw
- tiebreakerssudden death, penalty shootout, overtime, tiebreak, extra innings
- sporting conventionshandshake, anthem, national anthem, jersey swap, medal ceremony
coin flipdeliberate choice
Decision made on purpose
informed decision · weighing options · cost-benefit analysis · due diligence · gut feeling
coin flipcertainty
Total absence of doubt
sure thing · foregone conclusion · inevitability · known quantity · safe bet
coin flipself-determination
Control over one's fate
executive decision · conscious choice · taking control · calling the shots