Here's a breakdown of the meaning:
* Ride: To move along with something, usually passively.
* Tide: A natural flow of water, often representing a strong current. In this idiom, it symbolizes the prevailing circumstances, trends, or opinions.
Example:
* "Instead of fighting the company's new policies, I decided to ride with the tide and see how things turned out."
This implies that the speaker chose to adapt to the changes rather than oppose them.
Other ways to say "ride with the tide":
* Go with the flow
* Accept the inevitable
* Follow the crowd
* Conform
Note: While it can be a good strategy to adapt to change, "riding with the tide" can also suggest a lack of independent thought or initiative.