# you can't be half pregnant

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/you-cant-be-half-pregnant
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Said of an either-or situation; there are only two available choices.

## Examples

- You either support the new plan or you don't; you can't be half pregnant.
- You must decide whether to commit to this project fully because you can't be half pregnant with your professional responsibilities.
- The committee demanded a definitive stance on the policy, reminding the hesitant director that in matters of ethics, one simply cannot be half pregnant.

## Origin

From the notion that a person is either pregnant or not, as the condition does not permit partiality.

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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.