put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning

This expression means to depend entirely on one single plan, resource, or course of action for success. If that single option fails, you risk losing absolutely everything. It is most commonly used as a warning to encourage people to diversify their options.

Examples

• I'm applying to five different colleges because I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.

  I'm applying to five different colleges because I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.

• Investing all your savings into a single stock is putting all your eggs in one basket.

  Investing all your savings into a single stock is putting all your eggs in one basket.

• She decided to interview at other companies, realizing she shouldn't put all her eggs in one basket.

  She decided to interview at other companies, realizing she shouldn't put all her eggs in one basket.

• Don't put all your eggs in one basket by relying on just one client for your freelance work.

  Don't put all your eggs in one basket by relying on just one client for your freelance work.

• He put all his eggs in one basket with that business idea, and now he is struggling.

  He put all his eggs in one basket with that business idea, and now he is struggling.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ You shouldn't put all your eggs in a basket.

  ✓ You shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket.

  The idiom strictly uses 'one basket' to emphasize the risk of relying on a single option.

• ✗ He put his eggs into one basket.

  ✓ He put all his eggs in one basket.

  To sound natural, you must include 'all' to show the complete exposure to risk.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Instead of investing only in tech stocks, you should diversify so you don't ___.

  💡 Do not rely on just one option.

  Show answer

  put all your eggs in one basket

• She's applying for multiple jobs because she knows it's risky to ___.

  💡 Adjust the possessive pronoun to match the female subject.

  Show answer

  put all her eggs in one basket