go the distance

Idioms  

1. Carry through a course of action to completion. For example, He said he's willing to go the distance with this project. This expression originated in boxing, where it means “to last for all the rounds that have been scheduled.” In baseball the same term means “to pitch an entire game.” For a synonym, see all the way, def. 1.

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Example Sentences

Nearly everybody said that Hearts could not go the distance, but they're still there, still believing.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Any serious competitor has to be ready to go the distance.

From Barron's • Dec. 10, 2025

That cleared the way for Yamamoto to go the distance, becoming the first Dodgers pitcher to throw consecutive complete games in the playoffs since Orel Hershiser did three straight times in 1988.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2025

Masterson also adds that quiet people can struggle to go the distance on the show, as they can either be perceived as threatening or unsupportive by the group.

From BBC • May 14, 2025

The fastest object ever launched by the human species, it will still take tens of thousands of years to go the distance to the nearest star.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• polish off
• terminate