the ropes
plural noun
1
: the special way things are done at a particular place or in a particular activity
The veteran cop showed the rookie the ropes.
It will take a few weeks for new employees to learn the ropes.
someone who knows the ropes
2
: a fence made of rope that encloses a boxing or wrestling ring
The boxer was pushed back against the ropes.
Examples of the ropes in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Cena transitioned into an STFU and Rhodes desperately grabbed the ropes.
—
Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Sarah Michelle Gellar is showing her slaying protégé the ropes.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Ripley dropped Iyo Sky on the top rope and Sky bounced dangerously off the ropes to the mat.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Ecosystems are already on the ropes, and now must contend with higher temperatures, the new invasive species these bring, and worsening droughts.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the ropes
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Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Sarah Michelle Gellar is showing her slaying protégé the ropes.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Ripley dropped Iyo Sky on the top rope and Sky bounced dangerously off the ropes to the mat.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Ecosystems are already on the ropes, and now must contend with higher temperatures, the new invasive species these bring, and worsening droughts.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the ropes
Cite this Entry
“The ropes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20ropes. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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