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
Political turbulence may cloud the immediate outlook, but companies like The Sun Company are proving that innovative business strategies can still generate serious returns when the going gets tough.
—
Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
European allies who watched Trump roll out the red carpet for a war criminal while Ukraine continues to suffer daily bombardment now have a legitimate reason to question whether Washington can be trusted to maintain its commitments when the going gets tough.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 16 Aug. 2025
The last month of raids across Southern California has shown that when the going gets tough, Trump goes for the easy.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025
By Mathew Rodriguez April 29, 2025 For actress Nicola Coughlan, being an ally means that when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 29 Apr. 2025
Katie Woo covers these Cards for The Athletic with diligence and care, even when the going gets tough.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
For analysts at Vanguard, the investment firm, the roller-coaster ride provided a timely opportunity to study how investors behave when the going gets tough.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2025
But criticism will be meaningless without credible assurance that the United States will work to help the WHO succeed rather than simply walk away when the going gets tough.
—Ashish Jha, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
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Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
European allies who watched Trump roll out the red carpet for a war criminal while Ukraine continues to suffer daily bombardment now have a legitimate reason to question whether Washington can be trusted to maintain its commitments when the going gets tough.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 16 Aug. 2025
The last month of raids across Southern California has shown that when the going gets tough, Trump goes for the easy.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025
By Mathew Rodriguez April 29, 2025 For actress Nicola Coughlan, being an ally means that when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 29 Apr. 2025
Katie Woo covers these Cards for The Athletic with diligence and care, even when the going gets tough.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
For analysts at Vanguard, the investment firm, the roller-coaster ride provided a timely opportunity to study how investors behave when the going gets tough.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2025
But criticism will be meaningless without credible assurance that the United States will work to help the WHO succeed rather than simply walk away when the going gets tough.
—Ashish Jha, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
Cite this Entry
“When the going gets tough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/when%20the%20going%20gets%20tough. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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