roʊl wɪð ðə pʌntʃɪz
Sports
neutral
intermediate
- Literally:
- move the body in the direction of a punch to reduce its impact
What does "roll with the punches" mean?
to adapt to and cope with difficult or unexpected situations
Examples
- Starting a business means learning to roll with the punches.
- She lost her job but rolled with the punches and found a better one.
- In this industry, you have to roll with the punches or you won't survive.
Origin
From boxing technique where a fighter moves in the same direction as an incoming punch to minimize force.
How to use it
Used to encourage resilience and adaptability.
Similar expressions
go with the flow
take it in stride
adapt
Opposites
crumble under pressure
fall apart
Related idioms
- no pain no gain
Success requires hard work and sacrifice
- ball is in your court
It's your turn to take action or make a decision
- like riding a bicycle
A skill that, once learned, is never forgotten
- drop the ball
To fail to do something important; to make a mistake
- level playing field
A situation where everyone has an equal opportunity
- on the ball
Alert and competent
Use it in a practice answer
Try "roll with the punches" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.