15 Swings and Roundabouts Similar Phrases

You’ve probably come across the saying ‘swings and roundabouts’ and you are wondering what other ways to convey the same message without having to use the line. ‘Swings and roundabouts’ is an idiomatic expression that means a lot of things, at least, there are different interpretations of what it means.One of the foremost meanings is the reasoning that it refers to a scenario in which there is neither a gain nor a loss as a result of various actions or options. That is when a particular action doesn't guarantee a definite loss or benefit, it is said to be swings and roundabouts. In this article, I will be walking you through 15 swings and roundabouts with similar phrases. Keep reading on for more!

15 Best Swings and Roundabouts Similar Phrases

The best swings and roundabouts similar phrases are phrases that say if not correctly, but closely the same message and meaning embedded in 'swings and roundabouts'. Some of the best similar phrases, in this case, include 'Everything balances out at the end', 'Roller coaster life', 'No bad, no good', 'balanced input and output', and 'highs and lows make a beautiful landscape'.The phrases mentioned above are great picks if you are looking for alternatives for saying ‘swings and roundabouts’. There are more where those came from, though. m. So, without further ado, here's a quick highlight of 15 swings and roundabouts with similar phrases. Let's get to it.

• You win some, you lose some
• Ups and downs
• Mountain tops and valleys
• Positive and negative outcomes
• Balanced input and output
• You get what you give
• A result awaits the end, whether good or bad
• Six of one, half dozen of the oxen
• What you learn in suffering may be what you teach in abundance
• Risk it, gain it
• Roller-coaster life
• Give, take. Take, give
• Gains and losses
• Sufferings are lessons in disguise
• Everything balances out in the end

1. You win some, you lose some

‘You win some, you lose some’ is a viable phrase or statement that can serve as a replacement for ‘swings and balances’. It can be a similar phrase to the main phrase because it captures, to an extent, the core idea behind the main phrase. This core idea lies in the placement of winning and losing side by side.'Swings and roundabouts' talk about the outcome of an act or series of activities that do not end up in absolute goodness or badness. Here, the same attitude or input can end up giving you wins or making you lose, so you can't calibrate the rate of goodness or badness because the chances of results turning into either is unfathomable. Life in this instance, becomes a total roller coaster, which is another similar phrase I will talk about in the latter part of this post.So, instead of saying;Gambling is all swings and roundabouts.You can say;You win some and lose some when you gamble.

2. Ups and downs

‘Ups and downs’ just like the previous similar phrase for ‘swings and roundabouts’ hinges on the principle of the Ying Yang of Asian descent. This principle sees evil and good as different or opposite sides of the same coin. It views the activities of good as non-existent without the presence of evil.Here, ‘ups and down’ captures the central dominating theme of ‘swings and roundabouts’ which is ‘no particular loss, no particular gains’.So, instead of saying;My entrepreneurial journey has been swings and roundabouts.You can say;My entrepreneurial journey has been ups and downs.

3. Mountain tops and valleys

‘Mountain tops and valleys’ is a brainy phrase that you can throw in as a similar or substitute phrase for 'swings and roundabouts'. Symbolically, while mountain tops signify goodness, gains, and wins, valleys on the other hand stand for low moments in life, loss, bad experiences, and all.Funnily enough, the idea behind this similar phrase to 'swings and roundabouts' is that these two physical structures are often found close to each other. There's never a valley without a mountaintop surrounding it. To this length, mountain tops and valleys can stand in place for 'swings and roundabouts' especially if you plan on sounding descriptive and environmentally conscious.So, instead of saying;You should have seen my career when I was an artist, it was swings and roundabouts.You can say;You should have seen my career when I was an artist, it was mountain tops and valleys.

4. Positive and negative outcomes

‘Positive and negative outcomes’ can be used as a replacement for ‘swings and roundabouts’. It is a proficient line of sentence that can replace ‘swings and roundabouts’ if push comes to shove. With this phrase, you will be stressing the place and impact of both positive and negative outcomes as it regards a particular line of action.That is to say that a particular action can either lead to a positive or negative. If that becomes the case, then using this line of sentence as a replacement for ‘swings and roundabouts’ is thoughtful.So, instead of saying;As a single mother, swings, and roundabouts are the order of the dayYou can say;As a single mother, positive and negative outcomes are the order of the day.

5. Balanced input and output

‘Balanced input and output’ is another interesting phrase that can substitute ‘swings and roundabouts'. A line of action that leads to a balanced input and output can be said to be in a state of equilibrium.If that’s the case, then you can use this phrase instead of inserting ‘swings and roundabouts’ which can be rather unclear to some people, especially those who are not Brits.So, instead of saying;I want to be positive always, even with the swings and roundabouts.You can say;I want to be positive always, even with a balanced input and output.

6. You get what you give

‘You get what you give’ is a not-so-different way to put things instead of merely saying ‘swings and roundabouts’. Here, what drives the end product is what you give or implement.Here, also, the outcome of good or bad is not tied to the happenstance of external factors but to yourself. Seeing things from this angle enables you to view the outcomes from a place of reward for actions rather than punishments, whatsoever.So, instead of saying;Do what you need to; life is all about swings and roundabouts.You can say;Do what you need to; life is all about ‘you get what you give’.

7. A result awaits in the end, whether good or bad

‘A result awaits in the end, whether good or bad' is a viable similar phrase to 'swings and roundabouts'. It is so because it reinforces the notion that there's an outcome at the end of the line of action. And the chances that such action breeds good or bad is split right through the middle of the scale of 100. So, it is a 50/50 chance which is not a fathomable trajectory. You can use this line to insinuate the unlikeliness of an action resulting in good or bad.So, instead of saying;I am taking life easily; it’s all swings and roundabouts after all.You can say;I am taking life easily, a result awaits in the end, whether good or bad.

8. Six of one, half dozen of the oxen

'Six of one, half dozen of the oxen' is what a typical American would say that is similar to 'swings and roundabouts'. While this statement doesn't sound right, it conveys the same message as the original context but with a different angle of trajectory.So, instead of saying;Don’t feel bad, it’s swings and roundabouts.You can say;Don’t feel bad, it’s six of one, half dozen of the oxen.

9.  What you learn in suffering may be what you teach in abundance

'What you learn in suffering may be what you teach in abundance' is a wordy, yet impressive line of sentence that can act as a similar phrase for 'swings and roundabouts'. It is self-explanatory but I will not desist from dropping my two dice on it. Here, it becomes clear that even bad experiences lead to moments of clarity. Just as you learn that abundance is good in scarcity, you also learn that scarcity is bad in abundance. This way, you learn to appreciate every experience, hoping to only learn and not lose yourself in them.Also, you’ll be passing the message of 'It's all part of the result'. It encapsulates the idea of ‘swings and roundabouts’. With this line, you can mean the same thing but with a tad difference just as ‘swings and roundabouts’So, instead of saying;Don't get ahead of yourself, it's all swings and roundabouts.You can say;What you learn in suffering may be what you teach in abundance.

10.  Risk it, gain it

‘Risk it, gain it’ can replace ‘swings and roundabouts’ if you use it correctly. Here, this alternative phrase conveys a close meaning of the original phrase. This meaning is that which borders on taking risks as a gateway to receiving gains.In the real world, this assertion sounds counter-productive but it suffices in this context.So, instead of saying;Don’t fret; it’s all swings and roundabouts.You can say;Don’t fret; risk it, gain it.

11.  Roller-coaster life

‘Roller-coaster life’ is one of the best phrases that capture the message embedded in ‘swings and roundabouts’. Swings and roundabouts say a lot of things about how intriguing life can be. With that much drama going on with life, it is only smart to suggest that it is a rollercoaster.

12.  Give, take. Take, give

‘Give, take. Take, give’ is a similar phrase to ‘swings and roundabouts’ that makes sense. It suggests that as there’s a need to give, there’ll be a need to receive and vice versa.

13.  Gains and losses

'Gains and losses' sounds like the basic phrase similar to swings and roundabouts. Here, gain goes to gains, as losses go to roundabouts, respectively. This phrase puts things in a better view and reinstates the aim of the main context that suggests an end without a designated good or bad. It looks good to be referred to as a similar phrase to ‘swings and roundabouts’ which you can’t overlook.

14.  Sufferings are lessons in disguise

‘Sufferings are lessons in disguise’ bodies the message of no greater good, no greater evil as pioneered by ‘swings and roundabouts’. Little wonder why it makes sense that someone can also make out a good lesson from suffering from something. 

15.  Everything balances out in the end

‘Everything balances out in the end’ is a hopeful statement that you can use as a similar phrase to ‘swings and roundabouts’. If at the end of an action, there’s no known gain or loss, things are said to be balanced out.  However, in this case, both swings and roundabouts are all in the end. And although they hold no known loss or gain, they tend to still justify the means. Here, the insinuation is that everything makes sense in the end, even though the outcomes do not align totally with a particular route.So, instead of saying;Don’t quit now, although it’s all swings and roundabouts.You can say;Don’t quit now, although everything balances out in the end 

Final Word

The presumed similar phrases to swings and roundabouts are not lying around. While you may find it a tad difficult to curate, this article offers you an opportunity to get your hands on a lot of similar phrases to swings and roundabouts.This article features 15 phrases and you can count on anyone to give you the desired result. Just pick anyone that appeals to you and you can use that. Peace!