all-hands-on-deck

adjective

: of, relating to, or being a situation in which every available person is needed or called to assist
an all-hands-on-deck effort
"Overwhelmingly the response I heard is that we need an all-hands-on-deck approach to stopping the spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin," [Governor Tony] Evers said.Scott Bauer

Examples of all-hands-on-deck in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Caring for him is a full-time, all-hands-on-deck operation that includes in-home nurses, physical and occupational therapy, school support and a small pharmacy’s worth of medications. Josephine Rios, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026 The alert, the highest level on OpenAI’s three-point scale, is essentially an all-hands-on-deck call to mobilize and defend against an imminent threat. Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025 What started in 2023 as a whimsical idea after Amy Scott saw the Eras Tour movie has evolved into an annual, all-hands-on-deck project involving Brian, Amy and their daughters, Becca and Emily. Bryan West, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025 Fixing the boat on the fly was an all-hands-on-deck situation, from the coaching staff to the front office. Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for all-hands-on-deck

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-hands-on-deck was in 1935

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Cite this Entry

“All-hands-on-deck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-hands-on-deck. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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