if worst comes to worst

Idioms

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]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

Ideally, that should leave Jimmy just one safety-man to race to the goal line�and if worst comes to worst, safeties do not weigh 260 Ibs.

From Time Magazine Archive

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

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

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

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

From The Blue Goose by Nason, Frank Lewis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023