ˈweðər ðə stɔːrm
Nature & Weather
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- Surviving a storm at sea
What does "weather the storm" mean?
- To survive a difficult period
- To endure hardship and come through safely
Examples
- The company weathered the economic storm.
- They weathered the storm of criticism together.
- We'll weather this storm like we always do.
Origin
From nautical use—ships that survive storms 'weather' them. Extended to any difficult situation.
How to use it
Positive expression of resilience. Implies emerging stronger or intact.
Similar expressions
survive
endure
get through
ride out
withstand
Opposites
succumb
collapse
fail
go under
Related idioms
- out of the blue
Unexpectedly; without warning
- beat around the bush
To avoid talking about the main point of a conversation
- every cloud has a silver lining
There is something positive in every negative situation
- go with the flow
To accept things as they are and adapt accordingly
- once in a blue moon
Very rarely; almost never
- tip of the iceberg
A small visible part of a much larger hidden problem
Use it in a practice answer
Try "weather the storm" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.