Definition

Verb (transitive): 1. To survive or endure a difficult or dangerous period without being seriously harmed or destroyed. It implies staying safe and intact until the trouble has passed.

Usage

• The verb "ride out" is used with an object (it is transitive). You ride out .
• It is commonly used with nouns referring to difficult situations, such as: a storm, a crisis, a recession, a period of change, or turbulence.
• The phrasal verb suggests a sense of active endurance and resilience, not just passive waiting.

Examples

• "The ship dropped anchor in the bay to ride out the hurricane."
• "Small businesses are struggling to ride out the economic downturn."
• "We decided to stay in our current jobs and ride out the period of uncertainty."
• "The government is taking measures to help citizens ride out the fuel crisis."

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often carries a metaphorical sense. While it can literally mean surviving a physical storm, it more frequently refers to enduring metaphorical storms like financial, political, or personal difficulties.
• It can be used in the context of financial markets: "Investors are advised to ride out the market volatility rather than sell their holdings."

Variants and Related Words

• Ride (verb): The base verb, meaning to sit on and control the movement of something (e.g., a horse, bicycle) or to be carried in a vehicle. The phrasal verb "ride out" extends this idea of being carried a difficult situation.
• Outride (verb, less common): To ride faster or farther than someone; or to endure successfully. This is a single word, not a phrasal verb.

Synonyms

• Weather: (e.g., weather the storm)
• Survive: (e.g., survive the crisis)
• Endure: (e.g., endure the hardship)
• Withstand: (e.g., withstand the pressure)
• Come through: (e.g., come through a difficult time)

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Wait out: To wait until something, especially something unpleasant, is finished. This is closer to passive waiting. (e.g., "We'll wait out the rain in this café.")
• Sit out: To not participate in an activity; or to wait for something to end. (e.g., "I'll sit out this dance." / "They sat out the war in a neutral country.")

Related Idioms

• Weather the storm: This idiom is a direct synonym and is used in exactly the same contexts as "ride out the storm."
  • Example: "Our company has weathered many storms over the years."

Verb

1. hang on during a trial of endurance
   • ride out the storm