rise to the occasion
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
As I say, it is the chorus which too often fails to rise to the occasion.
Anton Kuerti provides a vibrant and characterful solo contribution in the Concerto (though the slow movement is distinctly short on poetry), and the orchestra rises to the occasion well.
British National Corpus sentence via the MAGPIE corpus (CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review.
Common questions
What does “rise to the occasion” mean?
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Is “rise to the occasion” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.