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to get into one's stride

to get into one's stride

6.3
To become comfortable and confident after a short time and begin working well
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : coger el ritmo
  • It's when she moves on to human relationships that she really gets into her stride.

Examples

  • After a few weeks in her new job, she finally got into her stride and started performing at her best.

  • It took him a little while to get into his stride, but once he did, his presentations were exceptionally engaging.

  • Although it was challenging at first, he eventually got into his stride during the marathon and maintained a steady pace.

Synonyms

to hit one's stride
vsto get into one's stride
  • Informal
3 6.5

Start performing at your best after some practice

is about steady comfort and growing confidence rather than peak output
to get in the groove
vsto get into one's stride
  • Informal
1 6.3

To work smoothly and easily after a short time

applies more broadly to general comfort and effectiveness across situations
to find one's feet
vsto get into one's stride
  • Informal
5.6

To become comfortable and confident in a new job or place after some time

focuses on later steady effectiveness rather than initial settling in

Antonyms

466 3.2

A hard effort to do or finish something difficult

48 4.9

To lose confidence, strength, or determination and become less able to continue

How Comfortable

to flourish
116 4.1
to get into one's stride
6.3
to settle in
132 3.3
struggle
466 3.2

Surface Forms

gotten into one's stride past participle
getting into one's stride present participle
gets into one's stride third person singular

Morphology

get + into + one + stride

The components 'get into' (change of state) plus 'stride' (a pace or rhythm) give a recognizable image of moving into a steady, effective tempo, so learners get a partial clue from the parts. However, the leap from this literal image to the fuller sense 'become comfortable/confident and effective' is metaphorical and not fully predictable without exposure, so it is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Get into one's stride comes from the image of a runner who needs a few steps to find a steady long step, a stride, and then moves smoothly. So when you get into your stride it means 'to become comfortable and confident' and to start doing something well.