Hobson's choice
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He laments the use of fixed penalty notices, in which offenders are offered the Hobson’s choice of paying minor fines or fighting criminal offenses for a litany of “anti-social behaviors.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026
Former acting Solicitor General Neal Kaytal said the ex-president will face a "Hobson's choice" to either answer questions or invoke his Fifth Amendment rights.
From Salon ● Nov. 6, 2023
They are caught off guard by the sudden change, and then face a Hobson’s choice — a choice where only one option is realistically feasible.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 7, 2023
But given the Hobson's choice to continue prohibition, our board instead chose to favor it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2015
It is not a sign of one's thinking the boon one offers very attractive, when one allows only Hobson's choice, “that or none.”
From The Subjection of Women by John Stuart Mill
