either-or approach
nounUK /ˈaɪðər ɔːr əˈprəʊtʃ/
US /ˈiːðər ɔːr əˈproʊtʃ/
A way of thinking that says you must pick one thing or the other, with no middle choice.
The teacher used an either-or approach: we could do the project alone or in pairs, but nothing else.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A decision style that treats options as strictly exclusive, leaving no room for compromise.
Negotiators rejected the either-or approach and found a solution that gave both sides something.
3. A logical framing that presents only two alternatives when more may exist.
Her either-or approach ignored the third option of waiting until next year.
4. A management method that forces a single selection between two competing plans.
The board's either-or approach meant choosing between expansion and cost-cutting.