on the rocks
Idioms-
Ruined, spoiled, as in Six months after the wedding, their marriage was on the rocks . This expression, alluding to a ship running aground on rocks and breaking apart, has been used figuratively for other disasters since the late 1800s.
-
Served over ice only, as in He always drinks whiskey on the rocks . The “rocks” here are the ice cubes. [Mid-1900s]
-
Destitute, bankrupt, as in Can I borrow next month's rent? I'm on the rocks . This usage, from the late 1800s, is heard more often in Britain than America.
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.
She confided in her mother that their marriage was on the rocks and she was planning to move home.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
Part of the concern came from a Wall Street Journal report that Nvidia’s deal to provide ChatGPT owner OpenAI with up to $100 billion could be on the rocks, given a funding delay.
From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026
Now, the AI startup’s relationship with the Pentagon is on the rocks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026
While she closes this chapter on the peak of New York’s social pyramid, the society queen’s marriage is very much on the rocks.
From Salon • Aug. 11, 2025
Ten minutes later, the two couples who were on the rocks got up and walked over to us.
From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King
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.
