if you can't beat them, eat them
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
If one cannot control or eradicate invasive species or unwanted populations, one should consume them as a method of elimination, such as green crabs or blue catfish.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Nếu không thể kiểm soát hoặc loại bỏ loài xâm lấn hoặc dân số không mong muốn, thì nên tiêu thụ chúng như một phương pháp loại bỏ
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Register: humorous
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “if you can't beat them, eat them” mean?
If one cannot control or eradicate invasive species or unwanted populations, one should consume them as a method of elimination, such as green crabs or blue catfish.
Is “if you can't beat them, eat them” formal or informal?
if you can't beat them, eat them is generally humorous.