in dire straits

idiom

: in a very bad or difficult situation
With its best player out of the game, the team found itself in dire straits.

Examples of in dire straits in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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With Simmons, forward Torrey Craig, and center Alex Len now already off the board, the league's buyout market is already in dire straits. Alex Kirschenbaum, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025 Magaro stars as a father in dire straits, who packs up his two kids, including Wright’s Ella, to take them on a road trip to Omaha, Neb. Magaro delivers a devastating performance as a parent striving to do right by his children in an impossible situation. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 5 Feb. 2025 Unlike before, Kim Jong Un would prefer receiving economic assistance from Trump rather than security guarantees, as North Korea’s economy is in dire straits. Seung-Whan Choi, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2025 For 99% of group disability plans sold in the United States, long-term disability benefits for a behavioral health condition max out at 24 months, often leaving those with severe and persistent mental health symptoms in dire straits. Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 31 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for in dire straits 

Dictionary Entries Near in dire straits

Cite this Entry

“In dire straits.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20dire%20straits. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

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