if you don't ask, you don't get

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Synonym of a dumb priest never got a parish

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 don't ask, you don't get” mean?

Synonym of a dumb priest never got a parish

Is “if you don't ask, you don't get” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.