dire straits

American

[dahyuhr streyts] / ˈdaɪər ˈstreɪts /

plural noun

very difficult circumstances.

With inflation so high, I've been talking to many more people lately who are in dire straits.
Once facing dire straits, the theater has bounced back since producing this hit show.

Etymology

Origin of dire straits

First recorded in 1805–15

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:

dire straits

Getting to see one is a special occasion, he said, especially given the dire straits the fish are in worldwide.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

After a long career as a college professor in Camagüey, Maria Antonia Borroto didn’t think she would ever be in such dire straits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Facing a tricky chase of 165 against Pakistan at the Pallekele stadium in Kandy, England could have been in dire straits when they lost Phil Salt first ball of the innings.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

From 91-9, England were in dire straits but, just as they had with the ball, Atkinson and Tongue combined with the bat.

From BBC ● Dec. 26, 2025

All the sunshine meant there were vegetables earlier than there should have been, and given the dire straits we were supposedly in, there seemed to be lots of food.

From "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff

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