high-wire act

Idioms  

1. A risky job or operation, as in The university press is not allowed to either make or lose money—that's a high-wire act. This expression alludes to the aerialist performing on a tightrope stretched high above the ground. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

It is not merely that his high-wire act supports and intensifies the drama and excitement that made him the dominant figure in American and then global politics for the past decade.

From The Wall Street Journal

But yes, there is plenty of humor in the high-stakes, high-tension, high-wire act that is “Bugonia,” with much conveyed in ways the actors relate through inflection or even without dialogue.

From Los Angeles Times

“Ragtime” draws a portrait of America at a time of turmoil with broad dramatic strokes and emotional specificity, a high-wire act that might daunt the likes of Houdini—yet another character in the show.

From The Wall Street Journal

But walking that path is becoming a high-wire act: If the U.S. can continue on this trajectory, the reward is high.

From Barron's

Liverpool's high-wire act has been fraught with danger this season and the Premier League champions have now lost their balance spectacularly to fall from the top of the table.

From BBC