back to the wall

Idioms  

1. Also, back against the wall. In a hard-pressed situation; also, without any way of escape. For example, In the closing few minutes, our team had its back to the wall but continued to fight gallantly, or The bank has him with his back to the wall; he'll have to pay up now. This term was used originally for a military force that is making a last stand. [First half of 1500s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

back to the wall

"I very much had my back to the wall," he said.

From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2025

With his back to the wall, he flings himself about the stage like a performer desperate to wring every second of his dwindling time in the spotlight.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2024

Now she had her back to the wall.

From Salon ● Apr. 16, 2023

“Once I saw him running back to the wall, I was thinking in my head, ‘Oh, please just don’t catch it, just don’t catch it.’”

From Washington Times ● Oct. 29, 2022

I flatten my back to the wall and wait.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• despondent
• forlorn
• futile
• sad
• vain