all things to all people/men

noun phrase

: a person or thing that makes all people happy by giving them what they want or need
It was clear that the senator was trying to be all things to all people in her campaign.

Examples of all things to all people/men in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Because a president can't be all things to all people, some of the voters who helped put them in office are inevitably disappointed. — Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 July 2025 At a time when high street chains strive to be all things to all people—offering everything from coffee to tote bags alongside their core products—Buns From Home has taken a refreshingly singular approach. — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025 Because your organization can’t be all things to all people, staying mission-focused requires prioritization. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 These companies didn't try to be all things to all people. — James Winebrenner, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025 The idea that institutions must be all things to all people, especially in the face of shrinking funding and enrollment and increasingly negative public opinion, is unrealistic. — Charles L. Welch, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024 Businesses are discovering that excelling in a few very specific areas builds more trust than trying to be all things to all people. — Jimmie Lee, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 Most networks are not trying to be all things to all people. — Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 As member states continually demand that the institution take on new roles, the Secretariat aspires to be all things to all people, rather than to set priorities or specialize. — Stewart Patrick, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2015

Browse Nearby Words

all things considered
all things to all people/men
all this way
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“All things to all people/men.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all%20things%20to%20all%20people%2Fmen. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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