# suck it up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/suck-it-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To put up with something; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.

## Examples

- The work is boring, but you just have to suck it up.
- The rain is heavy, but the players suck it up and continue the game.
- You hate cleaning the bathroom, but you just need to suck it up.
- I know you are tired after the long flight, but we have to suck it up and finish the presentation today.
- If we want to save enough money for a new house, we must suck it up and stop eating at expensive restaurants every weekend.
- My new manager is very strict and gives too much feedback, but I will suck it up until I find a better job.
- Despite the grueling conditions and the exhaustion weighing upon his limbs, he decided to suck it up and complete the final leg of the journey.

## Origin

Probably a variation of the expression suck up your chest, the phrase suggests a physical instruction to compose oneself and stand tall despite difficulty. It carries the sense of bearing one's troubles and proceeding, though the exact transition from the anatomical command to the modern idiom remains unproven. (disputed)

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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.