bite the bullet

Cultural  

1. To adjust to unpleasant circumstances: “The severe drought is forcing everybody to bite the bullet and use less water.” Before anesthesia, people undergoing surgery would bite on a bullet to help them withstand the pain.

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bite the bullet Idioms  

1. Behave bravely or stoically when facing pain or a difficult situation, as in If they want to cut the budget deficit, they are going to have to bite the bullet and find new sources of revenue. This phrase is of military origin, but the precise allusion is uncertain. Some say it referred to the treatment of a wounded soldier without anesthesia, so that he would be asked to bite on a lead bullet during treatment. Also, Francis Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1796) holds that grenadiers being disciplined with the cat-o'nine-tails would bite on a bullet to avoid crying out in pain.

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Example Sentences

At 66, he wondered whether it was time to bite the bullet.

From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026

Southampton City Council regulates the maximum fares for licensed hackney carriage vehicles within the city boundary, which means drivers have to "bite the bullet" and soak up those increased costs, McMillan said.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

“I’ll bite the bullet again,” Gobert said after that game.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 10, 2024

I made the decision there that we’re going to bite the bullet and get an e-bike.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2023

Even if they slip on out owing you some money, you got to bite the bullet, give up some slack, and let them be on their way.

From "145th Street: Short Stories" by Walter Dean Myers