saved by the bell

Idioms

Rescued from a difficulty at the last moment, as in I couldn't put off explaining his absence any longer, but then Bill arrived and I was saved by the bell. This expression alludes to the bell rung at the end of a boxing round, which, if it rings before a knocked-down boxer has been counted out, lets him get up and continue fighting in the next round. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.

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.

The Australian sensed an early finish as Thompson, backed into the corner, was saved by the bell with referee Howard Foster poised to jump in.

From BBC • Sep. 30, 2023

Nurmagomedov took Gaethje down at the end of the first round but he was saved by the bell.

From Fox News • Oct. 24, 2020

Why is saved by the bell such an overrated show?

From Seattle Times • Aug. 26, 2018

As Clay he beat Britain’s Henry Cooper in 1963, having first been knocked down by Cooper and saved by the bell.

From The Guardian • Jun. 4, 2016

"I was saved by the bell, wasn't I?"

From Stand by for Mars! by Glanzman, Louis

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