when push comes to shove
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.
Hybrid players are a bit like concept cars - glitzy, intriguing ideas but, when push comes to shove, coaches have invariably chosen something more reliable and conventional to actually go from A to B.
From BBC • Nov. 1, 2025
“The gears of capitalism are such that it’s unlikely. There are too many brass rings here in the music world, and when push comes to shove, people just deal with it.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2025
“He presents himself as an uncompromising radical thinker but when push comes to shove, he is perfectly able to make compromises,” said Eugenia Mitchelstein, associate professor of politics at Argentina’s University of San Andrés.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 30, 2024
Not surprisingly, when push comes to shove over limited resources, the researchers found that larger-bodied animals tend to win.
From Scientific American • Oct. 17, 2022
She understands that when push comes to shove, literally or otherwise, that she must rely on other people being good and doing the right thing.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
