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it is what it is

American  
[it iz wuht it iz] / ɪt ˌɪz wʌt ɪt ˈɪz /

idiom

  1. the situation cannot be helped and must be taken in stride.

    Too bad about the drought ruining your lilies, but it is what it is—our gardens need to fit the current environment.


Etymology

Origin of it is what it is

First recorded in 2005–10

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.

"I don't see, with the VAR, how you can disallow that goal. That's a shame to be honest. It is what it is and it's nothing we can control."

From BBC

Williams responded, “You know, it is what it is. I feel, like, no remorse for that.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“It is what it is now,” he said a couple of days before his “SNL” appearance, “but we have so much respect for the women’s team, they have so much respect for us. We’re all just proud Americans and we’re happy that we both swept the Olympics.”

From Salon

“Obviously it is what it is now, but we have so much respect for the women’s team and they have so much respect for us,” Hughes told reporters after his New Jersey Devils’ 2-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.

From Los Angeles Times

"I can't make any comment on it. It is what it is and it will take its course."

From BBC