on the ropes
phrase
: in a defensive and often helpless position
Examples of on the ropes in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
One of the best teams that baseball has ever seen, the Blue Jays had the Dodgers on the ropes after Bichette hit a three-run homer to pull Toronto ahead in the bottom of the third.
—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2026
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Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
One of the best teams that baseball has ever seen, the Blue Jays had the Dodgers on the ropes after Bichette hit a three-run homer to pull Toronto ahead in the bottom of the third.
—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“On the ropes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20ropes. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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