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.
"But when push comes to shove and you haven't got the money… you've got no other option. It's heart-breaking."
From BBC ● Apr. 26, 2025
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
We, as consumers, mothers, daughters, fathers and friends, have a right to know what these companies are going to do when push comes to shove with our most intimate and sensitive information.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2022
“You can brace all you want,” Baldelli said, “but when push comes to shove, you’ve got to find a way to go out there and win for a period of time with a different group.”
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 8, 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
