when the going gets tough

phrase

: when it becomes difficult to continue or to make progress

What will you do when the going gets tough?

Examples of when the going gets tough in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Remember to provide a step stool to make getting on and off the toilet a little easier and to give your child something to bear down on when the going gets tough. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Advertisement So, as now, many men followed the adage that when the going gets tough, the tough, well… toughen up. — Michael Kimmel, Time, 15 Aug. 2026

Be patient and hunt more slowly and cautiously when the going gets tough. — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2026

To prove especially to my children that life’s not over and when the going gets tough, the tough get going. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for when the going gets tough

• buff
• cuff
• duff
• fluff
• gruff
• hough
• huff
• luff
• muff
• puff
• rough
• ruff