up the creek
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He fears the project will silt up the creek and Flathead Lake and destroy fish and habitat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
If the Labour Party is up the creek without a paddle after last week, to revert to Yank lingo, it also finds itself in an anomalous position.
From Salon ● May 10, 2026
The Corps has been cleaning up the creek for more than 20 years.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 16, 2022
A short boat ride up the creek, Mr Ekpebide took me to the seat of the traditional Gbaramatu Kingdom, a prominent Ijaw group in the region.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2016
As my father’s boat disappeared around the bend up ahead, I reluctantly turned my boat up the creek, slowed down some, and kept searching.
From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings
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.
