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Synonyms

dire straits

American  
[dahyuhr streyts] / ˈdaɪər ˈstreɪts /

plural noun

  1. very difficult circumstances.

    With inflation so high, I've been talking to many more people lately who are in dire straits.

    Once facing dire straits, the theater has bounced back since producing this hit show.

Etymology

Origin of dire straits

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dire straits at present emphasize the fragility of global supply chains, with extremely negative implications for inflation in a deglobalized world.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

Dire straits: A whole lot of people in Puerto Rico—almost half the population!—are without clean drinking water right now.

From Slate • Sep. 28, 2017

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.