Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

the ropes

Idioms  

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.

See Examples For:

Analysts credit the 2011 purchase of NBCUniversal as a huge success; Comcast rescued a company that was on the ropes due to General Electric’s under-investment.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 2, 2026

But it might be debt, not equity, that has SpaceX on the ropes on Monday.

From Barron's Jun. 22, 2026

But it is also the story of two men in a sport that has been on the ropes for decades, but which once occupied the public imagination as much as any other.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 18, 2026

After Rozicki stumbled back to the corner, his team threw in the towel and Billam-Smith climbed on the ropes to celebrate.

From BBC Jun. 6, 2026

Then he spat on his hands, took hold of the ropes, and began to haul the stone-boat across the meadow of grasses and spring flowers, toward the mountain quarry.

From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training