come to terms with

verb

To resolve a conflict with.

“Until he comes to terms with his traumatic experience, he will not be able to move on.”

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Meanings

verbcome to terms with (third-person singular simple present comes to terms with, present participle coming to terms with, simple past came to terms with, past participle come to terms with)

present singular third person comes to terms with · participle present coming to terms with · past came to terms with

  1. idiomatictransitiveTo resolve a conflict with.

    […] some hope of their being able to come to terms with him, and thus prevent them from joining with the Independents. The other request was that he would allow William Moray to come to him, in order to oblige the Scots.

    1898, Jean de Montereul, Pompone de Bellièvre, Pierre de Bellièvre, edited by J. G. Fotheringham, The Diplomatic Correspondence of Jean de Montereul and the Brothers de Bellièvre, volume 1, page 108
  2. idiomatictransitiveTo accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful.

    Until he comes to terms with his traumatic experience, he will not be able to move on.

    1 more example

    She finally came to terms with her addictions at her third rehab clinic and rarely drank again.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
cope withdeal withmake peace

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 化解, 面對 /面对
  • 化解 (huàjiě)resolve a conflict with
  • 面對 /面对 (miànduì)resolve a conflict with
  • 接受 (jiēshòu)accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
  • 釋懷 /释怀 (shìhuái)accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
Czech vyrovnat se
  • vyrovnat seaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
Dutch een plaats geven
  • een plaats gevenaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
Finnish selättää, hyväksyä
  • selättääresolve a conflict with
  • hyväksyäaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
French se résigner à, se résoudre à
  • se résigner àaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
  • se résoudre àaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
  • se faire une raisonaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
German sich abfinden
  • sich abfindenaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
Greek συμβιβάζομαι
  • συμβιβάζομαι (symvivázomai)accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
Italian scendere a patti con, farsene una ragione
  • scendere a patti conresolve a conflict with
  • farsene una ragioneaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
Polish dochodzić do porozumienia, dojść do porozumienia
  • dochodzić do porozumieniaresolve a conflict with
  • dojść do porozumieniaresolve a conflict with
  • brać się za baryaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
  • wziąć się za baryaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
Russian смириться, принять
  • смириться (smiritʹsja)accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
  • принять (prinjatʹ)accept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
Spanish llegar a un acuerdo con, avenirse
  • llegar a un acuerdo conresolve a conflict with
  • avenirseresolve a conflict with
  • reconciliarseresolve a conflict with
Swedish förlika sig med
  • förlika sig medaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
Welsh dygymod â
  • dygymod âaccept or resign oneself to something emotionally painful
Cite this entry
APA

come to terms with. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20to%20terms%20with

MLA

“come to terms with.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20to%20terms%20with. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “come to terms with,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20to%20terms%20with.

Source: come to terms with on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.