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.
He had no experience in elected office, no notable history of activist organizing, no college degree, no significant success in the private sector, not even a record of pulling himself up by his proverbial bootstraps.
From Slate ● Jul. 8, 2026
Those who pull themselves up by the bootstraps should be able to attain a life materially more comfortable than their parents’.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
Pulling up your bootstraps and spraying some tough on it is important.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2025
“You’ve got to pick up the bootstraps of your state until your state finally cares for all of its families,” Becerra said.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 27, 2024
Teachers exhorted us to be like him, to lift ourselves from poverty by our bootstraps.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
