it is what it is
English · Thesaurus
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it is what it is
phrase
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That's life; expressing resignment to a situation or set of circumstances, usually without complaint
Unfortunately the insurance doesn't cover that. Sorry, but it is what it is.
Similar: c'est la vie, life's a bitch, shit happens, such is life, it is as it is, it is how it is, it is what it is, so be it, so is life, so it goes, that's life, that's that and this is this
- Let it be; accept the fact and let the matter rest.
- Who cares?; I don't care. But more important, while I am aware that "it is what it is" can be used in the "que sera sera" way, I do not agree that my interpretation of it is therefore incorrect. Rather, it is an example of how common it is in language for words and expressions to have more than one meaning, despite the fact
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Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see it, is, what, it, is. This thing has its own distinct nature; this thing is itself.
That every thing has a real constitution, whereby it is what it is, and on which its sensible qualities depend, is past doubt.
Similar: que sera sera, shit happens, for more see Thesaurus:that's life
Similar: that's life
Thesaurus
phrase
Similar: that's life
Translations
Every language
phrase 1. phrase expressing resignment to a situation or set of circumstances
| Español | es lo que hay, qué se le va a hacer, así pasa cuando sucede |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 仕方がない shikata ga nai, しょうがない shō ga nai |
| 中文 | 就是這樣的 /就是这样的 jiùshìzhèyàngde |
| हिन्दी | जो है सो है jo hai so hai |
| Português | é o que é |
| Italiano | non c'è più niente da fare |
| Română | aia e |
| العربية | هذا هو الحال hādhā huwa al-ḥāl |
phrase 3. this thing has its own nature
| Español | es lo que es |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | そういうもの sou iu mono |
| 中文 | 這就是事實 /这就是事实 zhè jiù shì shìshí, 就是這樣的 /就是这样的 jiùshìzhèyàngde |
| हिन्दी | जो है सो है jo hai so hai |
| Português | a vida é assim, essa é a vida |
| Français | c'est comme ça |
| Italiano | vada come vada, è così |
| Ελληνικά | είναι ό,τι είναι eínai ó,ti eínai |
| Русский | что есть, то есть |
| Tiếng Việt | đành vậy thôi |
| العربية | هذا هو الحال hādhā huwa al-ḥāl |
Talk about this word "it is what it is." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/it%20is%20what%20it%20is. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. it is what it is. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/it%20is%20what%20it%20is "it is what it is." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/it%20is%20what%20it%20is.Cite this
@misc{it_is_what_it_is_2026,
title = {it is what it is},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/it%20is%20what%20it%20is},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
