# don't put all your eggs in one basket

idiom · CEFR B1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dont-put-all-your-eggs-in-one-basket
Updated: 2026-06-07

## Meaning

What you're doing is too risky

## Examples

- Don't put all your eggs in one basket when you invest your money.
- You should apply to several different universities because it is risky to put all your eggs in one basket.
- The financial advisor warned his client that relying solely on a single stock was dangerous, advising him not to put all his eggs in one basket.

## Origin

Proverb attested in the 17th century; it appears in early English translations of Cervantes' Don Quixote and was later popularised by Mark Twain.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.