rat race

American  

noun

Informal.

1. any exhausting, unremitting, and usually competitive activity or routine, especially a pressured urban working life spent trying to get ahead with little time left for leisure, contemplation, etc.

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rat race British  

noun

1. a continual routine of hectic competitive activity

   working in the City is a real rat race

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rat race Idioms  

1. Fierce competition to maintain or improve one's position in the workplace or social life. For example, You may not realize what a rat race it is to get research grants. This term presumably alludes to the rat's desperate struggle for survival. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of rat race

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rat race

"Our younger generation... they're always in this little rat race, keeping up with social media," the 61-year-old said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

My mom and stepdad wanted a deeper connection with the earth and to get away from the rat race.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026

Despite the show's heist element, Madekwe says it has "such a relatable story of feeling trapped in a rat race".

From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2026

Imagine this: After years of toiling in the Southern California rat race, you buy a parcel of land in the high desert.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2025

They say it’s a real rat race and I hope to win it.”

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger