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THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE

Keep your head above water

Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.

01 / UNDERSTAND

Meaning in plain English

To just manage to cope, especially with financial difficulties or a heavy workload.

02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT

The expression in a sentence

  1. We are keeping our heads above water, but the unexpected bills are difficult.

03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Quick idiom quiz

Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.

Can you recall the expression?

Which expression from this lesson matches this meaning?

To just manage to cope, especially with financial difficulties or a heavy workload.
Show the answer

Keep your head above water — To just manage to cope, especially with financial difficulties or a heavy workload.

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Make it yours

Write one sentence using “Keep your head above water” about your own life.

Check your sentence

Does your sentence match this meaning?

To just manage to cope, especially with financial difficulties or a heavy workload.

Compare: We are keeping our heads above water, but the unexpected bills are difficult.

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More ways to understand and use it

When to use it

Use it when you are managing essential demands but have little room to spare. It suits conversational work and everyday discussions.

More examples in context

  • With three deadlines this week, I am just keeping my head above water.
  • The small shop reduced its costs to keep its head above water.

Usage note

This means coping with difficulty, not thriving. Change head to heads for a plural subject when referring to the people individually.

A short conversation

A: How are you managing the extra work?
B: I am keeping my head above water, but I could use help.
A: I can take one of the smaller tasks.

One more practice question

What does “The business is just keeping its head above water” mean?

A. It is barely managing to continue.
B. It is flourishing with no difficulties.

Check your answer

A. The business is coping, but only with difficulty.

Related lessons

Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.

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