ɒn ðə roʊps
Sports
informal
intermediate
- Literally:
- Against the ropes of a boxing ring
What does "on the ropes" mean?
- In a desperate or vulnerable situation
- Close to defeat or failure
Examples
- The company is on the ropes after the scandal.
- He's on the ropes but still fighting.
- The team is on the ropes in this series.
Origin
From boxing—a fighter pushed against the ropes is in a defensive, weakened position and may be close to losing.
How to use it
Implies being close to failure but not yet defeated. Common in business and sports.
Similar expressions
in trouble
struggling
near defeat
cornered
Opposites
winning
dominant
in control
Related idioms
- no pain no gain
Success requires hard work and sacrifice
- ball is in your court
It's your turn to take action or make a decision
- like riding a bicycle
A skill that, once learned, is never forgotten
- drop the ball
To fail to do something important; to make a mistake
- level playing field
A situation where everyone has an equal opportunity
- on the ball
Alert and competent
Use it in a practice answer
Try "on the ropes" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.