not in the cards

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.

The White House said emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would engage in an "in-person conversation" with Iranian representatives, but Iranian state media said that direct negotiations were not in the cards.

From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026

If rolling meatballs is not in the cards on a weeknight, no worry.

From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026

Near-term risks for global equities are elevated given geopolitics and AI anxiety, but a bear market is not in the cards, say strategists at Goldman Sachs.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

“There’s a lot of guys that can play shortstop here. If that’s not in the cards, that’s cool. I can go from there, anywhere else. Just prepare, and where I land is where I land.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2024

He had recently made a decision with his medical school that becoming a doctor was not in the cards for him, and he moved to the Bronx, where he worked as a pharmaceutical salesman.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore