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Synonyms

take the bull by the horns

Cultural  

  1. Take the initiative in confronting a difficult position: “You'll never decide what you want in life by just thinking about it; you must take the bull by the horns and try out a few possibilities.”

take the bull by the horns Idioms  

  1. Confront a problem head-on, as in We'll have to take the bull by the horns and tackle the Medicare question. This term most likely alludes to grasping a safely tethered bull, not one the matador is fighting in the ring. [c. 1800]

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'm 29, I only have so many Wimbledons left in my career. This has to be seen as a reward. You have to take the bull by the horns," he added.

From BBC • Jul. 6, 2023

You have to learn as you go, and sometimes just take the bull by the horns.

From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2015

"To me, it's an opportunity for somebody to stand up, step up and take the bull by the horns," Matheny said about available options, including candidates down in the minor leagues.

From Reuters • Apr. 27, 2015

Samsa decided to take the bull by the horns.

From The New Yorker • Oct. 21, 2013

Then she decided to take the bull by the horns, and instead of putting their first encounter off any longer, seek it purposely, and get it over.

From Paddy-The-Next-Best-Thing by Page, Gertrude

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.