have it both ways

Idioms

Achieve two mutually exclusive objectives, as in Bill wants to have it both ways—to enjoy Christmas at home and to travel with his friends. The related have it all means “to get everything one wants,” as in It's too bad we can't have it all—the wisdom of experience and the fresh enthusiasm of youth. [Early 1900s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“To put it simply, you can’t have it both ways,” Muse said in a Tuesday note.

From MarketWatch

"I just feel like they can't have it both ways," said parent Leanne Hughes.

From BBC

This meant he could have it both ways.

From MarketWatch

What’s so impressive about Bi Gan’s excellent third feature is that he manages to have it both ways.

From Los Angeles Times

The tech giant is trying to have it both ways in regard to how its search business will fare.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023