if worst comes to worst

Idioms  

1. Also, if worse comes to worst. In the least favorable situation, if the worst possible outcome occurs. For example, If worst comes to worst and the budget is not approved, the government will shut down, or Go ahead and go to school with a cold; if worse comes to worst the teacher will send you home. This expression is nearly always followed by a solution. [Late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

if worst comes to worst

Meanwhile, all I'm hearing is people telling me to quit worrying about it because it's all over now, and anyway, if worst comes to worst, we can always go hide over there in that garage.

From Salon ● Nov. 19, 2020

And, if worst comes to worst on their German front, they have another Russia between the Urals and the Pacific, bigger than all of European Russia and the U.S. combined.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Well," said Mrs. Scudder, "if worst comes to worst, and he will do it, I, for one, shall stand by him to the last."

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 03, No. 18, April, 1859 by Various

But, if worst comes to worst, we can stay on the train all night.

From Six Little Bunkers at Grandpa Ford's by Laura Lee Hope

Meet union with union, strength with strength, and, if worst comes to worst, fight with fight.

From The Blue Goose by Frank Lewis Nason