that's the way it goes

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Synonym of so it goes.

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “that's the way it goes” mean?

Synonym of so it goes.

Is “that's the way it goes” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.