rise to the occasion

Idioms

Show unexpected skill in dealing with a difficulty that arises, as in The leading man broke his leg in the first act but his understudy rose to the occasion and was rewarded with excellent reviews. [Mid-1800s]

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.

See Examples For:

rise to the occasion

There is no reason to believe that such heroes won’t once again rise to the occasion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

“We have to rise to the occasion and act.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

"It is the ultimate test for me in Europe. This will be I think the hardest game we could have played, so we have to rise to the occasion and be at our very best."

From Barron's ● Jan. 27, 2026

Once you’ve got something warm in the bowl, reach for greens that can rise to the occasion.

From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2025

“I knew you’d rise to the occasion, kiddo. Good for you. I’m proud of you, Jackie.”

From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio

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