up against a/the wall
idiom
informal
: in a very bad position or situation
The team was up against a wall in the first half of the game.
Examples of up against a/the wall in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In another shot, Kerr showed four pairs of white shoes lined up against a wall.
—
Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024
Meanwhile, Dorrey, who is 25, is posted up against the wall, chatting everyone up in a jeans and boot combo fit for Kris Kristofferson in Convoy, a brown Telfar bag on his arm.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 2 Feb. 2024
Jeffrey Wright plays a frustrated academic up against the wall of what Black books must be to sell.
—Leanne Italie, Quartz, 2 Mar. 2024
Rafe ends up pushing Ward up against a wall and threatens him to leave town... or else.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2023
Several coaches pinned the fan up against a wall, subduing him.
—Richard J. Marcus, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2024
Seconds later, the man -- identified by prosecutors as Yohenry Brito -- is pushed up against a wall by an officer.
—Jake Offenhartz The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 10 Feb. 2024
There are no tables free, but a young woman directs us to a tiny inch of space right up against the wall.
—Vulture, 26 Oct. 2023
Bishop and the seven others were lined up against a wall in the fort and gunned down.
—Rennie Svirnovskiy, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2023
Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024
Meanwhile, Dorrey, who is 25, is posted up against the wall, chatting everyone up in a jeans and boot combo fit for Kris Kristofferson in Convoy, a brown Telfar bag on his arm.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 2 Feb. 2024
Jeffrey Wright plays a frustrated academic up against the wall of what Black books must be to sell.
—Leanne Italie, Quartz, 2 Mar. 2024
Rafe ends up pushing Ward up against a wall and threatens him to leave town... or else.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2023
Several coaches pinned the fan up against a wall, subduing him.
—Richard J. Marcus, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2024
Seconds later, the man -- identified by prosecutors as Yohenry Brito -- is pushed up against a wall by an officer.
—Jake Offenhartz The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 10 Feb. 2024
There are no tables free, but a young woman directs us to a tiny inch of space right up against the wall.
—Vulture, 26 Oct. 2023
Bishop and the seven others were lined up against a wall in the fort and gunned down.
—Rennie Svirnovskiy, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'up against a/the wall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near up against a/the wall
Cite this Entry
“Up against a/the wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/up%20against%20a%2Fthe%20wall. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share