THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Not out of the woods yet
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
Still in a difficult situation, even if it’s improving.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- The patient is stable but not out of the woods yet.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
The patient is stable but ________.
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Not out of the woods yet — Still in a difficult situation, even if it’s improving.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Not out of the woods yet” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
Still in a difficult situation, even if it’s improving.
Compare: The patient is stable but not out of the woods yet.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
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More ways to understand and use it
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How to use this expression
The negative form is useful when things are improving but a problem remains. The positive form, “out of the woods”, means the difficult or dangerous stage has passed. “Yet” emphasizes that you hope the situation will improve further.
More examples
The repairs are almost finished, but we’re not out of the woods yet.
Sales improved this month; the shop is still not out of the woods.
Check your understanding
Does “not out of the woods yet” mean the problem has been fully resolved?
Answer: No. Some difficulty or risk remains, even if progress has been made.
Improvement is not the same as resolution
A school’s booking website is working again, but the team is still checking whether payments were recorded correctly. “We’re not out of the woods yet,” says the organizer.
Think it through: What makes this different from saying “Everything is fixed”?
Check the explanation
A significant uncertainty remains despite the improvement. “Not … yet” leaves open the possibility of a full resolution later. Once the remaining checks succeed, the organizer could say, “We’re finally out of the woods.”
Your turn: Describe a fictional project that has improved but still has one problem to solve.
Compare expressions: Look beyond the literal words
An idiom’s words can create a picture that differs from the intended message. Check the context before interpreting a phrase as a literal instruction or description.
Try the situation question and check your answer →