sink or swim
idiomTo save this word, you'll need to log in.
Definition of sink or swim
—used to refer to a situation in which someone either must succeed by his or her own efforts or fail completelyThey left me to sink or swim on my own.In this job, it's sink or swim.
Comments on sink or swim
What made you want to look up sink or swim? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Semantic Drift Quiz
- Which of the following was once a synonym for fun?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share sink or swim