verb

hack

To cope successfully with something difficult.

She can hack it even when the job gets stressful.

Etymology

The older verb describes cutting with repeated blows. The colloquial expression “hack it” uses a broader sense of managing or getting through a task, carrying the idea of tackling something demanding.

More examples

I couldn't hack the long hours, so I quit.
Do you think you can hack a full course load?
Not everyone can hack life in a crowded city.

Forms

hack · hacks · hacked · hacking

Similar words

handle: Applies more broadly to managing tasks, situations, or responsibilities.
cope: Emphasizes managing difficulties, often without implying complete success.
endure: Emphasizes bearing hardship rather than dealing with it successfully.