“When you have seen one, you have seen them all”: meaning, origin and examples
What it means
The phrase means that once you have seen one example of something, you feel as though you’ve seen all examples of it, suggesting a lack of variety or notable difference among them.
Tone Dismissive
Where it comes from
The exact origin of the phrase is unclear. It is a colloquial expression that likely developed over time to convey a sense of monotony when experiencing something repeatedly similar. The earliest recorded usage dates back to around 1811.
Examples
- After visiting multiple chain hotels, John said, ‘When you have seen one, you have seen them all, because they all looked exactly the same.’
- Sarah wasn’t impressed with the series of paintings, remarking, ‘When you have seen one, you have seen them all; they’re all just variations of the same theme.’
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