Standard Lemma guide

toss-up

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • It's really a toss-up between the red skirt with blue stripes and the blue skirt with red stripes. They both look good and fit well.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Either of two outcomes that are equally likely.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The toss of a coin used to decide some issue.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A toss-up question.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

an unpredictable phenomenon

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it's a toss-up whether he will win or lose

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tossup, even chance

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: luck, fortune, chance, hazard

History

Etymology

Deverbal from toss up.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Hungarian: egyre megy — a decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter
  • Hungarian: mindegy — a decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter
  • Italian: incerto — a decision in which neither choice is clearly favorable or unfavorable, or for which the outcome does not matter
  • Czech: padesát na padesát — either of two outcomes that are equally likely
  • Hungarian: kétesélyes — either of two outcomes that are equally likely
  • Hungarian: kérdéses — either of two outcomes that are equally likely
  • Polish: but see na dwoje babka wróżyła — either of two outcomes that are equally likely
  • Spanish: sorteamiento — either of two outcomes that are equally likely
  • Spanish: sorteo — either of two outcomes that are equally likely
  • Spanish: posibilidades igualmente probables — either of two outcomes that are equally likely
  • Spanish: posibilidades igual de probables — either of two outcomes that are equally likely
  • Spanish: probabilidades iguales / igualadas — either of two outcomes that are equally likely
  • Bulgarian: жребий (žrebij) — the toss of a coin used to decide some issue
  • Hungarian: pénzfeldobás — the toss of a coin used to decide some issue