damned if one does and damned if one doesn't

English

Alternative forms

• you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

Prepositional phrase

damned if one does and damned if one doesn't (not comparable)

1. (idiomatic) A situation where either choice results in a negative outcome; dilemma.

   If John leaves for New York to follow his career, his father will disinherit him. He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

   Damned if I do and damned if I don't.

   Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Synonyms

• no-win situation
• catch-22
• inevitability
• between a rock and a hard place
• between Scylla and Charybdis
• between the devil and the deep sea
• pick your poison
• dilemma

Translations

dilemma with bad outcomes

• Portuguese: se correr o bicho pega, se ficar o bicho come
• Russian: куда́ ни кинь, всю́ду клин (kudá ni kinʹ, vsjúdu klin)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Turkish: aşağı tükürsen sakal, yukarı tükürsen bıyık

See also

• Ginsberg's theorem