Sometimes life gets tough. Maybe you’re tired after school, or you feel like giving up on a hard math problem. In moments like these, you just want to keep going, but it’s not easy. That’s when people use idioms, special phrases that help say things in a fun or clever way. These expressions can make hard feelings easier to talk about. They don’t mean exactly what the words say, but they help us understand each other better.
In this article, you’ll learn idioms that people use to say “keep going.” These sayings can help when you feel stuck or want to cheer someone on. They are used at home, in school, and in stories. When you hear or use them, they can give a little push to keep moving forward. Let’s explore these helpful expressions together.
Idioms for Keep Going
1. Keep your chin up
Meaning: Stay positive when things are hard.
Within a Sentence: Keep your chin up, you’ll do better on the next test. / He told her to keep her chin up after the loss.
In Other Words: Don’t give up. / Stay strong.
2. Hang in there
Meaning: Keep trying, even if it’s tough.
Within a Sentence: Hang in there, the school day is almost over. / I told my friend to hang in there during her hard week.
In Other Words: Keep going. / Don’t stop.
3. Keep on keeping on
Meaning: Continue doing what you’re doing.
Within a Sentence: He’s tired, but he keeps on keeping on. / I told myself to keep on keeping on during the long race.
In Other Words: Just keep doing it. / Don’t stop now.
4. Stay the course
Meaning: Stick with your plan.
Within a Sentence: She stayed the course and finished her science project. / I’ll stay the course with reading this big book.
In Other Words: Keep going with your plan. / Don’t quit.
5. Soldier on
Meaning: Keep going through hard times.
Within a Sentence: He soldiered on after falling in gym class. / I had a headache but soldiered on with homework.
In Other Words: Push through. / Keep trying.
6. Keep at it
Meaning: Continue doing something.
Within a Sentence: Keep at it and you’ll get better at drawing. / I keep at it every day with piano practice.
In Other Words: Don’t stop. / Keep working.
7. Push through
Meaning: Keep going even when it’s hard.
Within a Sentence: She pushed through her fear to do the presentation. / I pushed through the last few laps.
In Other Words: Keep trying. / Get through it.
8. Don’t give up
Meaning: Keep trying and don’t stop.
Within a Sentence: Don’t give up just because it’s hard. / My coach told me not to give up.
In Other Words: Try your best. / Keep going.
9. Keep moving forward
Meaning: Don’t let problems stop you.
Within a Sentence: He kept moving forward after losing the game. / I keep moving forward, even with mistakes.
In Other Words: Keep going. / Don’t stay stuck.
10. Press on
Meaning: Keep going even when you’re tired or frustrated.
Within a Sentence: I pressed on to finish my book report. / She pressed on through the storm.
In Other Words: Keep working. / Keep trying.
11. Stick with it
Meaning: Don’t quit what you started.
Within a Sentence: Stick with it and you’ll be proud. / I told him to stick with it during his tough practice.
In Other Words: Keep going. / Don’t stop now.
12. Keep going strong
Meaning: Keep doing well without giving up.
Within a Sentence: You’re halfway done, keep going strong! / She kept going strong in her spelling test.
In Other Words: Don’t lose energy. / Keep doing great.
13. Don’t lose steam
Meaning: Don’t slow down or stop.
Within a Sentence: I told myself not to lose steam during the last lap. / He lost steam in the middle of the race.
In Other Words: Keep your energy. / Stay focused.
14. Keep the ball rolling
Meaning: Keep things moving forward.
Within a Sentence: Let’s keep the ball rolling with our group work. / She kept the ball rolling by asking the next question.
In Other Words: Keep it going. / Don’t pause.
15. Follow through
Meaning: Finish what you started.
Within a Sentence: He followed through on his promise to help. / I always try to follow through on homework.
In Other Words: Finish it. / Don’t leave it halfway.
16. One step at a time
Meaning: Do things slowly and keep going.
Within a Sentence: Take one step at a time and you’ll get there. / I learned the dance one step at a time.
In Other Words: Go slowly. / Keep moving forward.
17. Don’t throw in the towel
Meaning: Don’t quit.
Within a Sentence: Don’t throw in the towel, you’re doing well! / He almost threw in the towel but kept trying.
In Other Words: Keep trying. / Don’t give up.
18. Keep your head up
Meaning: Stay confident and don’t let problems bring you down.
Within a Sentence: Keep your head up, even if it’s tough. / I tried to keep my head up after a hard day.
In Other Words: Be brave. / Stay positive.
19. Plow ahead
Meaning: Keep going without stopping.
Within a Sentence: We plowed ahead with our craft project. / She plowed ahead even when tired.
In Other Words: Move forward. / Don’t slow down.
20. Just keep swimming
Meaning: Keep going no matter what (from the movie Finding Nemo).
Within a Sentence: I just keep swimming through math class. / He just keeps swimming when things are hard.
In Other Words: Don’t stop. / Keep trying.
21. Keep the faith
Meaning: Believe in yourself and don’t give up.
Within a Sentence: Keep the faith, you’ll get it next time. / I kept the faith during the contest.
In Other Words: Stay hopeful. / Believe in yourself.
22. Carry on
Meaning: Keep going after something hard happens.
Within a Sentence: She carried on after falling. / We carried on with our trip after the rain.
In Other Words: Don’t stop. / Continue forward.
23. Go the distance
Meaning: Keep going until you finish.
Within a Sentence: He went the distance and finished the race. / I’ll go the distance with my reading goal.
In Other Words: Finish what you started. / See it through.
24. Don’t stop now
Meaning: Keep going, you’re almost there.
Within a Sentence: Don’t stop now, you’re doing great! / I didn’t stop because I was so close to winning.
In Other Words: Keep moving. / You’re nearly done.
25. Hold on
Meaning: Stay strong and keep going.
Within a Sentence: Hold on, the test is almost over. / I told my friend to hold on when she felt upset.
In Other Words: Keep trying. / Don’t let go.
26. Keep grinding
Meaning: Work hard every day without quitting.
Within a Sentence: He keeps grinding at his soccer skills. / I keep grinding to get better at spelling.
In Other Words: Keep working. / Keep practicing.
27. Power through
Meaning: Get through something difficult with strength.
Within a Sentence: I powered through my cold to finish my art project. / She powered through the long hike.
In Other Words: Push through. / Don’t stop for anything.
28. Keep steady
Meaning: Stay calm and keep going.
Within a Sentence: Keep steady on the balance beam. / I kept steady while walking across the rope bridge.
In Other Words: Stay balanced. / Don’t fall.
29. Ride it out
Meaning: Wait through a hard time without quitting.
Within a Sentence: We rode out the storm together. / I rode out the noisy lunchroom and stayed calm.
In Other Words: Get through it. / Don’t panic.
30. Push on
Meaning: Keep going even when you’re tired.
Within a Sentence: She pushed on through her big pile of homework. / I pushed on even when my legs hurt.
In Other Words: Keep trying. / Don’t slow down.
31. Hold the line
Meaning: Don’t give up under pressure.
Within a Sentence: We held the line in our soccer game. / He held the line when things got tough.
In Other Words: Stand strong. / Don’t quit.
32. See it through
Meaning: Finish something all the way.
Within a Sentence: I saw it through to the end. / She saw her drawing through even when she got tired.
In Other Words: Finish it. / Don’t stop partway.
33. Stay on track
Meaning: Keep going the right way.
Within a Sentence: Stay on track with your reading log. / I stayed on track with my goals.
In Other Words: Don’t get lost. / Stay focused.
34. Dig deep
Meaning: Find your inner strength to keep going.
Within a Sentence: I dug deep to finish the race. / She dug deep to stay calm during the test.
In Other Words: Try harder. / Use your strength.
35. Hold fast
Meaning: Don’t let go or give up.
Within a Sentence: Hold fast to your dreams. / I held fast during the hard parts of the game.
In Other Words: Stay strong. / Keep going.
36. Keep plugging away
Meaning: Keep working little by little.
Within a Sentence: I keep plugging away at my science project. / He plugs away at learning guitar.
In Other Words: Don’t stop. / Keep working steadily.
37. Don’t back down
Meaning: Stay strong and don’t quit.
Within a Sentence: She didn’t back down from a hard question. / I won’t back down during the race.
In Other Words: Be brave. / Keep going.
38. Keep at the wheel
Meaning: Stay in control and keep moving forward.
Within a Sentence: Keep at the wheel with your schoolwork. / He stayed at the wheel and didn’t quit.
In Other Words: Stay in charge. / Keep steady.
39. Keep your eye on the prize
Meaning: Focus on your goal and keep going.
Within a Sentence: Keep your eye on the prize during your test. / I kept my eye on the prize and finished the puzzle.
In Other Words: Remember your goal. / Stay focused.
40. Keep going no matter what
Meaning: Never stop, even when things are hard.
Within a Sentence: Keep going no matter what happens. / He kept going no matter what, even with the rain.
In Other Words: Always try. / Don’t let anything stop you.
41. Press forward
Meaning: Keep going with effort.
Within a Sentence: He pressed forward even though it was raining. / I pressed forward through the noisy classroom.
In Other Words: Keep moving. / Don’t give up.
42. Stay in the game
Meaning: Keep trying even if it’s hard.
Within a Sentence: She stayed in the game until the end. / I stayed in the game even after losing the first round.
In Other Words: Don’t quit. / Keep playing.
43. Don’t quit your day job
Meaning: Don’t stop what you’re doing.
Within a Sentence: He didn’t quit his day job of drawing comics. / I won’t quit my day job of helping at home.
In Other Words: Stick with it. / Keep doing your thing.
44. Forge ahead
Meaning: Move forward strongly.
Within a Sentence: We forged ahead through the thick snow. / She forged ahead with her speech.
In Other Words: Push forward. / Go ahead bravely.
45. Keep your pace
Meaning: Keep going at the same speed.
Within a Sentence: I kept my pace while jogging. / She kept her pace during the game.
In Other Words: Stay steady. / Don’t speed up or slow down.
46. March on
Meaning: Continue without stopping.
Within a Sentence: We marched on to finish our group work. / He marched on through the busy hallway.
In Other Words: Keep moving. / Stay strong.
47. Stick to your guns
Meaning: Stay with your decision and keep going.
Within a Sentence: She stuck to her guns about practicing daily. / I stuck to my guns about reading every night.
In Other Words: Stay firm. / Don’t change your mind.
48. Keep your wheels turning
Meaning: Keep thinking or working.
Within a Sentence: I kept my wheels turning during the quiz. / He kept his wheels turning on the big math problem.
In Other Words: Keep your mind going. / Don’t stop thinking.
49. Stay in motion
Meaning: Keep your body or work going.
Within a Sentence: I stayed in motion during P.E. / She stayed in motion finishing her art project.
In Other Words: Keep active. / Don’t freeze.
50. Keep showing up
Meaning: Keep being there and trying.
Within a Sentence: Keep showing up to practice and you’ll improve. / I keep showing up every day ready to learn.
In Other Words: Don’t stop coming. / Keep trying.
51. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Stay up late working hard.
Within a Sentence: I burned the midnight oil finishing my project. / She burned the midnight oil to study.
In Other Words: Work late. / Keep going until it’s done.
52. Head down, heart open
Meaning: Focus on your goal and stay kind.
Within a Sentence: I worked head down, heart open on my painting. / He walked head down, heart open through the challenge.
In Other Words: Focus and be kind. / Work hard and stay caring.
53. Stay rooted
Meaning: Stay strong and steady.
Within a Sentence: She stayed rooted while speaking in front of the class. / I stayed rooted during the noisy lunch.
In Other Words: Be firm. / Don’t move or give up.
54. Keep the fire burning
Meaning: Stay excited and keep trying.
Within a Sentence: I kept the fire burning with my science project. / She kept the fire burning in her heart for music.
In Other Words: Stay excited. / Keep your passion.
55. Stay the path
Meaning: Don’t change your direction.
Within a Sentence: Stay the path on your reading goal. / I stayed the path and didn’t get distracted.
In Other Words: Keep going the same way. / Don’t turn off course.
56. Don’t drop the ball
Meaning: Don’t mess up or stop trying.
Within a Sentence: Don’t drop the ball during your group job. / I dropped the ball once but picked it back up.
In Other Words: Do your part. / Keep doing your job.
57. Ride the wave
Meaning: Go along with what’s happening, even if it’s hard.
Within a Sentence: I rode the wave of loud noise in the gym. / She rode the wave of big changes in class.
In Other Words: Go with it. / Stay calm.
58. Don’t lose heart
Meaning: Don’t give up hope.
Within a Sentence: Don’t lose heart, you’re doing better every day. / He lost heart at first but tried again.
In Other Words: Keep hoping. / Stay strong.
59. Stay fired up
Meaning: Keep your energy and excitement.
Within a Sentence: Stay fired up for the last quarter of the game. / She stayed fired up even when it got tough.
In Other Words: Stay pumped. / Keep going with energy.
60. Keep climbing
Meaning: Keep reaching for your goals.
Within a Sentence: I kept climbing to get to the top of the rock wall. / He kept climbing through every hard subject.
In Other Words: Don’t stop trying. / Reach higher.
True/False Quiz: Idioms for Keep Going
- “Hang in there” means to stop trying when things get hard.
True / False - If someone tells you to “keep your chin up,” they want you to stay positive.
True / False - “Throw in the towel” means to keep working harder.
True / False - “Keep plugging away” means to stop because you are tired.
True / False - When you “dig deep,” it means you try your best even when it’s hard.
True / False - Saying “just keep swimming” is a fun way to say “keep going.”
True / False - “Stay the course” means to change your plan.
True / False - If someone says “don’t drop the ball,” they mean you should do your part.
True / False - “Go the distance” means to stop halfway through a job.
True / False - When you “keep your eye on the prize,” you focus on your goal.
True / False - “Ride the wave” means to panic during a tough time.
True / False - “Stick with it” means to quit when you get tired.
True / False - If a teacher says “keep at it,” they want you to continue working.
True / False - “Power through” means to keep going, even when something is hard.
True / False - “Hold on” is another way to say “keep going.”
True / False
Answer Key
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- True
Scoring Guide
- 15 Correct Answers: Topics Master!
- 10–14 Correct Answers: You really get Topics, nice work!
- 6–9 Correct Answers: You’re learning, keep going!
- 0–5 Correct Answers: Let’s learn about Topics together!
Conclusion
Idioms help us say things in a fun and clear way. When you want to tell someone not to quit, these phrases come in handy. They don’t always mean what they sound like, but people understand them because they’re used so often.
By learning idioms for “keep going,” you can talk about being strong, brave, and not giving up. Whether it’s in class, on a sports team, or at home, these phrases can remind you and others to keep trying, even when things get tough. Keep using them, and you’ll become better at sharing how you feel.
