Meaning & use
going the distance
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Meanings
phraseidiom
To continue doing something until it is completely finished, especially when it is difficult or takes a long time.
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; often follows 'be' or 'go': 'They went the distance.'
Patterns
- go the distance
- going the distance
The negotiations were tough, but both sides went the distance and reached a deal.
She decided to go the distance and finish her degree, even though it took six years.
phraseidiomsport
In boxing, to complete all scheduled rounds without being knocked out.
Grammar: Used literally in sports reporting; often with 'go' or 'went'.
Patterns
- go the distance
- went the distance
The champion went the distance with a challenger who refused to give up.
He trained hard so he could go the distance in a twelve-round fight.
phraseidiominformal
To stay in a romantic relationship or marriage for a long time, especially through difficulties.
Grammar: Often used in informal talk about couples: 'They're going the distance.'
Patterns
- go the distance
- going the distance
After ten years together, it looks like they're really going the distance.
Many people doubted they would go the distance, but they proved everyone wrong.
Common combinations
- go the distance
- The team was determined to go the distance and win the championship.
- going the distance
- Going the distance in a marathon requires months of training.
- make it the distance
- They didn't think the old car would make it the distance, but it did.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stick it out
- Means to continue in a difficult situation until it ends, but often implies enduring something unpleasant rather than a positive goal.
- see it through
- Focuses on completing a task or project; less common for relationships or sports.
Opposites
Commonly confused: going the distance or go the extra mile?
going the distance vs go the extra mile
Means to make more effort than expected, not necessarily to finish something.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'going the distance' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option A correctly means continuing until the end. Option B uses 'distance' literally (a physical distance), not the idiom. Option C suggests a short-term action, not completion. Option D contradicts the idiom's meaning of completing successfully.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “going the distance”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.