weather the storm

Meaning

This expression means to successfully survive, endure, or get through a very difficult situation, crisis, or period of hardship without being ruined. It uses the metaphor of a ship surviving a severe storm at sea.

Examples

• The company had to lay off some staff, but they managed to weather the storm and are now profitable again.

  The company had to lay off some staff, but they managed to weather the storm and are now profitable again.

• It's going to be a tough couple of months, but if we stick together, we can weather the storm.

  It's going to be a tough couple of months, but if we stick together, we can weather the storm.

• Many small businesses did not survive the pandemic, but fortunately, ours weathered the storm.

  Many small businesses did not survive the pandemic, but fortunately, ours weathered the storm.

• Their marriage went through a rocky patch, but they managed to weather the storm.

  Their marriage went through a rocky patch, but they managed to weather the storm.

• We just need to keep our heads down and weather the storm until the economy improves.

  We just need to keep our heads down and weather the storm until the economy improves.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We need to storm the weather.

  ✓ We need to weather the storm.

  The verb is 'weather' (meaning to endure) and the object is 'the storm'. Reversing them changes the meaning completely.

• ✗ They survived the storm of the crisis.

  ✓ They weathered the storm.

  While 'survived' is grammatically correct, 'weathered the storm' is the specific idiomatic phrase that sounds much more native and natural.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If we can just ___ of this financial crisis, things will get better next year.

  💡 Survive a difficult period of time.

  Show answer

  weather the storm

• The team lost their star player, but they managed to ___ and win the championship.

  💡 Get through a tough challenge successfully.

  Show answer

  weather the storm