1
as in mechanics
the characteristic peculiarities and technicalities of something
needs a mentor who will show her the ropes of running a catering business
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in brass tacks
the specific practical details of something
still learning the ropes of her new job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ropes
Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 13 Mar. 2026
It's reached by a rough, unpaved road and short, steep hike — so steep that previous visitors have left ropes in some spots for assistance.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
Militarily, nobody in their right mind can claim that Iran isn’t on the ropes.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Despite the fact that mental health parity has been paused and Medicaid financing (responsible for more than a quarter of all behavioral health expenditures) is on the ropes, there are some promising recent developments on mental illness and addiction.
—Anand Parekh, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
Brzezinski learned the ropes from late Dolphins executive Bryan Wiedmeier, who had worked closely with heavy-handed coaches like Don Shula, Jimmy Johnson and Nick Saban.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Unapologetic, opinionated and unfailingly authentic, the 39-year-old rarely hides his thoughts or feelings inside or outside the ropes.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Even in Toronto after most of a game-long lead was gone and the Raptors back in it in the fourth quarter, the Knicks came off the ropes swinging.
—Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
The trailer shows the buddy-cop relationship between Hal and John as the elder Green Lantern shows the new recruit the ropes.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
Noun
The brand will also maintain a live-event presence, with placement on ring corner pads and ring ropes at all TBL events.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 13 Mar. 2026
It's reached by a rough, unpaved road and short, steep hike — so steep that previous visitors have left ropes in some spots for assistance.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
Militarily, nobody in their right mind can claim that Iran isn’t on the ropes.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Despite the fact that mental health parity has been paused and Medicaid financing (responsible for more than a quarter of all behavioral health expenditures) is on the ropes, there are some promising recent developments on mental illness and addiction.
—Anand Parekh, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
Brzezinski learned the ropes from late Dolphins executive Bryan Wiedmeier, who had worked closely with heavy-handed coaches like Don Shula, Jimmy Johnson and Nick Saban.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Unapologetic, opinionated and unfailingly authentic, the 39-year-old rarely hides his thoughts or feelings inside or outside the ropes.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Even in Toronto after most of a game-long lead was gone and the Raptors back in it in the fourth quarter, the Knicks came off the ropes swinging.
—Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
The trailer shows the buddy-cop relationship between Hal and John as the elder Green Lantern shows the new recruit the ropes.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ropes
Noun
-
Binance has not disputed the specifics of how investigators linked money flows to these accounts.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
12 Mar. 2026
-
But, considering the specifics of the case, some experts believe the suspect could strike again.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The big story India rarely ties its foreign policy to a single partner or bloc.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The deal ties Pipkins to the Chargers for his eighth and ninth seasons in the NFL.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For the sufferer, however, the illness is lived as a singular nexus between culture, temperament, circumstance, and the body’s quirks.—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Come for the obvious hooks, stay for the more subtle quirks.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Another option is the Kiwanis Trail that threads its way through a shallow, cupped canyon.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
21 Feb. 2026
-
TikToks promising secret loopholes, Reddit threads dissecting deductions and content creators insisting ways to outsmart the IRS.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
What makes barrel jeans popular is their wide, tapered fit that curves out around the mid-leg and then cinches in at the ankle.—
India Roby,
InStyle,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The three compressions are Spanxsmooth Swim, which is light compression for barely there smoothing; Spanxshape Swim, medium compression for a little more tummy control and shaping, and Spanxsculpt Swim, strong compression that cinches and snatches.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ropes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ropes. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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