ride out
B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To survive a hard time by staying strong until it is over — like a sailor staying on a ship during a storm.
Literal meaning: To ride (a horse) out through a storm or danger until it passes.
Meanings
1 B1
idiomatic
neutral
To survive a difficult or dangerous period by enduring it until it ends.
"The small business managed to ride out the recession by cutting costs and staying focused."
"We have to ride out the storm."
— Winston Churchill (paraphrase of wartime rhetoric, widely attributed); also common in modern political speeches
Grammar: separable
2 A2 neutral
To leave a place on horseback, heading outward.
"The sheriff rode out at dawn to search for the missing cattle."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
Very common in journalism and everyday speech. Often collocates with 'storm', 'crisis', 'recession', 'difficult period'. The image comes from sailors or riders holding on through rough conditions.
Commonly used with
storm crisis recession difficult period pandemic downturn
Forms
Base
ride out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rides out
he/she/it
Past simple
rode out
yesterday
Past participle
ridden out
have + pp
-ing form
riding out
continuous
Understand "ride out" better
Try:
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Synonyms
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "ride out" on Looplines