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Region: General | Usage example: The lead engineer showed grace under pressure during the outage.

Grace under pressure

Meaning

Maintaining composure when stressed.

Usage

Used when praising calm leadership.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Military and sporting admiration for calm bravery.

Described in reports of wartime leadership.

Related Idioms

Buckle under pressure

Succumb to stress or demands.

Water under the bridge

Past events that are forgiven or no longer important.

Under your belt

Gained experience or completed.

More Idioms

Break the ice

To do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a social situation.

Cut to the chase

Skip ahead to the most important or exciting part of something.

The ball is in your court

It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.

Throw in the towel

To concede defeat or admit a struggle isn't worth continuing.