ride out the storm
Meaning
To endure a difficult period calmly and wait until it passes without giving up.
Origin
From seafaring: a ship would “ride out” a storm by staying afloat and stable (often at anchor) until the weather passed. It broadened to any crisis or hardship.
Notes
Often used for temporary crises (financial trouble, scandal, illness). Implies patience and resilience—staying steady until things pass rather than fighting head-on.
Examples
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The company cut costs and tightened operations to ride out the storm in the market.
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We’re just going to stay calm and ride out the storm until things settle down.
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They had savings to help them ride out the storm after he lost his job.
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The team stuck together and rode out the storm of criticism after the failed launch.
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If you can ride out the storm this year, next year should bring new opportunities.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as a verb phrase: “ride out the storm” or “ride out the crisis/downturn.” Tense/person can change (rode out, riding out). The object is commonly “the storm” (literal or figurative) but can be replaced with similar nouns.
Synonyms
- weather the storm
- tough it out
- hang in there
- hold on
- see it through
Antonyms
- give up
- capitulate
- panic
- buckle under