no-win scenario
Lose either way
A no-win scenario is a situation where all available choices lead to unfavorable outcomes—there's no path to success or satisfaction.
The term gained currency from Star Trek's Kobayashi Maru test, designed to be unwinnable.
In everyday use, it describes dilemmas where you're doomed regardless of what you choose: Telling her the truth will hurt her, but lying will destroy her trust—it's a no-win scenario.
- hopelessBeyond possibility of success
- impossibleIncapable of occurring
- deadlockMutual blocking, no progress
- catch-22Paradoxical no-win situation
- dilemmaForced choice between undesirables
Hobson's choice · double bind · trapped · stalemate · checkmate · doom · futile · lose-lose · corner · dead end · impasse · damned · stuck · helpless · inevitable · paradox · defeat · despair
no-win scenariowin-win situation
Outcome benefiting all parties
win-win · sure thing · slam dunk · easy win · home run
no-win scenariopiece of cake
Idiomatic easy task
walk in the park · cakewalk · pushover · gimme · low-hanging fruit
wins, winning, winner, winners, winnable, unwinnable, scenario, scenarios