Synonyms

out on a limb

Idioms

In a difficult, awkward, or vulnerable position, as in I lodged a complaint about low salaries, but the people who had supported me left me out on a limb. This expression alludes to an animal climbing out on the limb of a tree and then being afraid or unable to retreat. [Late 1800s]

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.

out on a limb

If you want to go out on a limb, Disclosure Day was not everyone’s favorite, but it’s worthy of your consideration.

From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2026

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say that we got more laughs than all those films combined.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2025

Coaches have had to put themselves out on a limb.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2025

Share your thoughts about the match or go out on a limb and give us a prediction.

From BBC ● Feb. 23, 2024

They’d gone out on a limb for us.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

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