when the going gets tough
idiom
: 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
When the weather turns, when the legs are tired, or when the going gets tough, nothing can help one get through the race like the great people of Berkeley who come out to ensure everybody finishes in great spirits.
—
Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2022
But Djokovic, always so tough when the going gets tough, pulled out the win.
—Howard Fendrich, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2023
People don’t want to support a brand that won’t support them when the going gets tough, Ellis argued.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 22 June 2023
In some species, when the going gets tough, the body hits the brakes, chilling body temperature and slowing metabolism to a snail’s pace in a state known as torpor.
—Emily Willingham, Scientific American, 5 June 2023
This team has not exactly shown the resolve to deal with the going when the going gets tough.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2023
For safety, the Buoy Girls swim in pairs, coaxing each other when the going gets tough.
—Steven P. Dinkin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Nov. 2022
Just make sure that your rowing form stays on point, even when the going gets tough.
—Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 10 Nov. 2022
Translation: a mangled, re-frozen mess ideal for determining which boards can hang when the going gets tough.
—Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2022
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Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2022
But Djokovic, always so tough when the going gets tough, pulled out the win.
—Howard Fendrich, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2023
People don’t want to support a brand that won’t support them when the going gets tough, Ellis argued.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 22 June 2023
In some species, when the going gets tough, the body hits the brakes, chilling body temperature and slowing metabolism to a snail’s pace in a state known as torpor.
—Emily Willingham, Scientific American, 5 June 2023
This team has not exactly shown the resolve to deal with the going when the going gets tough.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2023
For safety, the Buoy Girls swim in pairs, coaxing each other when the going gets tough.
—Steven P. Dinkin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Nov. 2022
Just make sure that your rowing form stays on point, even when the going gets tough.
—Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 10 Nov. 2022
Translation: a mangled, re-frozen mess ideal for determining which boards can hang when the going gets tough.
—Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'when the going gets tough.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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when the going gets tough
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“When the going gets tough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/when%20the%20going%20gets%20tough. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
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