# cannot make it

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/cannot-make-it
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Cannot reach satisfactory or expected standards or do something competently; describes someone in a hopeless situation.

## Examples

- I tried to fix the sink, but I just cannot make it.
- He practiced for months, but he realized he simply cannot make it as a professional musician.
- Despite his extensive training and unwavering ambition, he eventually admitted that he cannot make it in such a highly competitive industry.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.