you can't win them all
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
It is impossible to always succeed; failure or disappointment is inevitable from time to time.
Register: informal
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 “you can't win them all” mean?
It is impossible to always succeed; failure or disappointment is inevitable from time to time.
Is “you can't win them all” formal or informal?
you can't win them all is generally informal.