If you can't beat 'em, join 'em
If you can't defeat your opponent, then you might as well work alongside them or do what they do. A: "I thought you said you'd never join social media." B: "Yeah, but everybody else has, so if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, I guess." A: "Wait, are you actually coming with us to the Phillies game tonight?" B: "Yeah, I guess. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?" A: "Come on. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." B: "No, absolutely not! We are not going to cheat just because other teams are!"
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
If you can't beat them, join them.
and If you can't lick 'em, join 'em.Prov. If you have to give up fighting some group because you can't win, band together with them. (The version with lick is informal.) Jill: I just got a kitten. Jane: I can't believe it! You used to hatepeople who owned cats. Jill: If you can't beat them, join them. Alan: I hear you're a Republican now. Fred: Yeah, I figured, if you can't lick 'em, join 'em.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
if you can't beat them, join them
if you are unable to outdo rivals in some endeavour, you might as well cooperate with them and gain whatever advantage possible by doing so. humorous .Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
if you can’t ˈbeat them, ˈjoin them
(saying) if you cannot defeat somebody or be as successful as they are, then it is more sensible to join them in what they are doing and perhaps get some advantage for yourself by doing so: Everybody else seems to be leaving early today, so I think I will too. After all, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017