ə ˈbʌmpi raɪd
Travel
informal
beginner
- Literally:
- a journey on an uneven or rough surface
What does "a bumpy ride" mean?
a difficult or turbulent experience
Examples
- Starting a new business is always a bumpy ride.
- The first year of marriage can be a bumpy ride.
- Investors should prepare for a bumpy ride as the market fluctuates.
Origin
From the literal experience of traveling on rough roads.
How to use it
Used to set expectations about difficulty. Often preceded by 'in for.'
Similar expressions
a rough ride
a rocky road
an uphill battle
Opposites
smooth sailing
a walk in the park
Related idioms
- hit the road
To leave or depart on a journey
- in the same boat
In the same difficult situation as someone else
- miss the boat
To miss an opportunity
- go the extra mile
to make more effort than is expected or required
- a long way to go
much more work or progress is needed before completion
- that ship has sailed
The opportunity has passed
Use it in a practice answer
Try "a bumpy ride" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.