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
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.
Abreu leapt up against the wall and batted the ball back into play, landing right in Rafaela’s waiting hands. Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 May 2025 Meanwhile, on the court, Dončić and the Lakers have their backs up against the wall after a 116-113 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of their first round series has them down 3-1. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2025 Stabler monologues a little bit, then shakes, zips up and bashes the guy up against the wall without washing his hands. Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 17 Apr. 2025 It’s boosted by a dance trend, usually with the dancer or dancers shown up against a wall, and it’s led to a 15% boost in streams for the song (which was released in 2011 as part of Tha Carter IV and peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100) to 4.1 million. Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for up against a/the wall

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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 22 May. 2025.

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