right the ship
Fix the situation
To right the ship is to restore order or stability after a period of trouble or decline.
The phrase comes from sailing—literally returning a listing or capsized vessel to upright position—but applies broadly to organizations, relationships, or situations that have gone wrong: The new CEO was brought in to right the ship.
Often implies decisive corrective action.
- recoverRegain health or possession
- turnaroundShift in opposite direction
- even keelState of calm stability
- stabilizeMake firm or constant
- steadyFixed, not fluctuating
ballast · adjust · square away · batten down · resilience · correct · rudder · take the wheel · restructure · crisis management · calm the storm · helm · rectify · damage control · fix · realign · balance · keel
right the shipdrive into the ground
Exploit past useful limits
sabotage · torpedo · run aground · scuttle · mismanage
right the shipcapsize
Overturn in water
overturn · destabilize · run aground · scuttle · torpedo
right, ship, rights, righted, righting, rightful, rightfully, righteous, righteousness