jump ship
To suddenly leave or abandon a group, company, or situation you were committed to — often to escape one that's failing, or to take a better opportunity elsewhere.
“Many employees jump ship when they find a better job.”
“The project was failing, so several team members decided to jump ship and join a different department.”
“If the local government continues to ignore the housing crisis, many young families will jump ship and move to a more affordable city.”
“As the company's stock prices began to fall, many senior executives chose to jump ship rather than stay and attempt to fix the internal problems.”
The idiom comes from the seafaring world of the 18th and 19th centuries, where it literally meant deserting one's vessel without permission. Sailors would slip overboard near a harbour to escape brutal discipline, miserable conditions, or forced recruitment by the press gang.
By the late 19th and mid-20th centuries the phrase had passed into everyday figurative speech. Today it usually describes suddenly walking out on a team, company, or situation — especially to get clear of a sinking one or to chase a better opportunity.
Last updated June 7, 2026