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Glite Dictionary
to bend like a willow

to bend like a willow

6.9
To be flexible and change to deal with difficult situations
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : adaptarse como un sauce
  • In the face of adversity, he chose to bend like a willow rather than break.

Examples

  • Good leaders know when to bend like a willow and when to stand firm.

  • She always tries to bend like a willow during tough negotiations rather than resist change.

  • She can bend like a willow in tough situations.

  • Can you bend like a willow when the pressure is on?

  • Good leaders know when to bend like a willow and when to stand firm.

  • In the face of adversity, he chose to bend like a willow rather than break.

  • During tough negotiations, she tries to bend like a willow instead of resisting change.

Synonyms

to ride with the punches
vsto bend like a willow
  • Informal
7.2

To accept and adapt to difficult times without giving up

stresses flexible adjustment rather than lasting toughness

How Flexible

flexibility
153 3.6
to bend like a willow
  • Informal
6.9
inflexible
11 4.7

Surface Forms

bend like a willow infinitive
bending like a willow present participle
bends like a willow third person singular
bent like a willow past
bent like a willow past participle

Morphology

bend + like + a + willow

This is a straightforward simile: 'bend' + 'like' + 'willow' signals a comparison to the willow tree’s well-known flexibility, so the meaning 'be flexible/adaptable' is directly inferable from the constituent words. The comparative construction is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the component words will very likely understand the intended sense.

Etymology

The idiom bend like a willow comes from the image of a willow tree that bends in strong wind without breaking. That's why it means 'to be flexible and adapt' in hard times.