sink or swim

Cultural  

1. A sink-or-swim situation is one in which we must save ourselves by our own means or else fail. The image is that of a person thrown into the water without a life preserver; he or she must swim or drown.

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sink or swim Idioms  

1. Succumb or succeed, no matter what, as in Now that we've bought the farm, we'll have to make a go of it, sink or swim. This expression alludes to the former barbaric practice of throwing a suspected witch into deep water, often weighted down. In case of sinking, the victim died; in case of swimming, the victim was considered in league with the devil and therefore was executed. A related idiom, float or sink, was used by Chaucer in the late 1300s; Shakespeare had the current form in 1 Henry IV (1:3): “Or sink or swim.”

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Example Sentences

Freshman point guard Phillip Reed Jr. of Palisades entered high school ready to sink or swim going against varsity players who were stronger and more experienced.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2026

For new players, it was sink or swim.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025

When they cease to do so, they can sink or swim.

From New York Times • Apr. 27, 2024

Part of this crazy experiment in democracy is the idea that we’re all stuck on the same boat together — we sink or swim together.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2023

‘Johnny Tremain is a bold fellow. I knew he could learn—if he didn’t get killed first. It was sink or swim for him—and happens he’s swimming.’

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes