when the chips are down

phrase

informal

: in a difficult situation : when things are not good

True friends will stand by you when the chips are down.

Examples of when the chips are down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Implicit in this vision is the hope that in the end, when the chips are down, Amodei, or someone very much like him, will have some say in how AI will be used. — Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026

Can the Cubs feel confident that their relievers will deliver them through a hairy situation when the chips are down? — Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025

This kind of fundamental groundwork can return big dividends when the chips are down for companies. — Edward Segal, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025

For all of their defensive struggles — particularly in defensive counter-attacking moments — this season, City’s dedication to hoovering up loose balls is still strong when the chips are down. — Mark Carey, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025

And Smith wants to use it as a stage for something sprawling and meaningful — the latest pronouncement on how savage the supposedly civilized become when the chips are down. — Mike Hale, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025

But when the chips are down and the Longhorns need a play, Ewers showed Wednesday night why his team trusts him to deliver it. — Sam Khan Jr., The Athletic, 1 Jan. 2025

Rhymes for when the chips are down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown