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
The idea was for Weir to learn the ropes for two or three years under Ashworth before taking over.
—
Andy Naylor, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Keeping the tradition alive Every year on a hazy summer evening, Hoosiers gather at Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area in Linton to learn the ropes.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 9 Sep. 2025
Two of them, Harry and Joe, took a young, eager kid in franchising who had just started his own business and taught me the ropes.
—Steven Beagelman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
There, the ropes that tether the boats to the docks in the port of La Cotinière left a lasting impression.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the ropes
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Andy Naylor, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Keeping the tradition alive Every year on a hazy summer evening, Hoosiers gather at Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area in Linton to learn the ropes.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 9 Sep. 2025
Two of them, Harry and Joe, took a young, eager kid in franchising who had just started his own business and taught me the ropes.
—Steven Beagelman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
There, the ropes that tether the boats to the docks in the port of La Cotinière left a lasting impression.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 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 18 Sep. 2025.
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