grin and bear it
To endure a difficult or disagreeable situation with good humor.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The meeting is boring, but you just have to grin and bear it.”
“The train was delayed for three hours, so the passengers had to grin and bear it until help arrived.”
“Although the new regulations were frustrating and difficult to implement, the staff decided to grin and bear it to ensure the project remained on schedule.”
- 01
average bear
The norm; an average person; Used in comparisons
- 02
bad news bears
Said of someone or something that will bring disaster or bad fortune to one.
- 03
bear a hand
To make haste; to help quickly.
- 04
bear away the bell
To be superior in something.
- 05
bear fruit
To produce good results; to yield benefits; to succeed.
- 06
bear in mind
To hold (something) in the memory; to remember; also, to be mindful of or pay attention to (something); to consider; to note.
- 07
bear oneself
To behave and conduct oneself in a particular manner.
- 08
bear the brunt
To endure the worst part of something.
Last updated August 10, 2026