English idiom

a bitter pill to swallow

Register · Neutral CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

an unpleasant fact or situation that must be accepted

Why this phrase?

An unpleasant fact is compared to medicine whose bitter taste must be endured when it is swallowed.

Example

“Losing the top talent was a bitter pill to swallow.”

Dictionary details

Component words

bitter pill swallow

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

poison pill

a defensive tactic a company uses to make a hostile takeover unattractive

come to terms with

to gradually accept and emotionally deal with a difficult reality

easier said than done

Something that sounds simple to do but is actually hard.

hang in there

to persevere and not give up despite difficulty

in a tight spot

in a difficult or dangerous situation

in hot water

In trouble or facing difficulty.

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

markdown