# the show must go on

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/the-show-must-go-on
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

One must finish what one has started; things must continue no matter what.

## Examples

- The show must go on, even if we are tired.
- My computer crashed during the meeting, but the show must go on.
- We lost our best player today, but the show must go on.
- Despite the sudden power outage during the play, the actors continued their performance because the show must go on.
- Even though the rain ruined the outdoor decorations, the couple decided to get married in the garage because the show must go on.
- The chef burned his hand during the dinner rush, but he kept cooking for the customers since the show must go on.
- The store manager told the staff that the show must go on even though the delivery truck arrived three hours late during the busiest sale of the year.
- Although the lead singer fell ill moments before the curtain rose, the troupe maintained their composure, fully aware that the show must go on.

## Origin

The phrase originated in the 19th-century circus industry. It served as a practical instruction to performers and staff that the sequence of acts was to be maintained regardless of accidents, equipment failures, or the occasional animal-related disturbance.

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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.