on a wing and a prayer
idiom
informal
: without much chance of success
She took the job on a wing and a prayer.
Examples of on a wing and a prayer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Baz Luhrmann’s ever popular version of this tragic love story plays into ’90s nostalgia, and visually seems to relate to all the feathery touches fluttering around as the world moves forward on a wing and a prayer.
—
Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2023
And gutsy Kuhlman, on his own, mailing out CDs on a wing and a prayer.
—Michael Kosser, Variety, 12 May 2023
Then, on a wing and a prayer, the volunteers paired up (toucan do more than one) and fanned out into the neighborhood, not to change minds but to reinforce habits.
—Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 3 Nov. 2022
Last Sunday, out of desperation and on a wing and a prayer, Colmenares and his wife took their children, ranging from age 16 months to 12 years old and marched across the Rio Grande.
—Dallas News, 31 Oct. 2022
And the new fashion of last-minute ticket buying is confounding an industry that is forced to invest most of its capital up front, on a wing and a prayer.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022
The earliest seed catalogs in the 18th century were simple, spartan price lists, some crossing oceans on a wing and a prayer, globalizing gardens in their wake.
—Amy Merrick, WSJ, 18 Mar. 2022
Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2023
And gutsy Kuhlman, on his own, mailing out CDs on a wing and a prayer.
—Michael Kosser, Variety, 12 May 2023
Then, on a wing and a prayer, the volunteers paired up (toucan do more than one) and fanned out into the neighborhood, not to change minds but to reinforce habits.
—Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 3 Nov. 2022
Last Sunday, out of desperation and on a wing and a prayer, Colmenares and his wife took their children, ranging from age 16 months to 12 years old and marched across the Rio Grande.
—Dallas News, 31 Oct. 2022
And the new fashion of last-minute ticket buying is confounding an industry that is forced to invest most of its capital up front, on a wing and a prayer.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022
The earliest seed catalogs in the 18th century were simple, spartan price lists, some crossing oceans on a wing and a prayer, globalizing gardens in their wake.
—Amy Merrick, WSJ, 18 Mar. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on a wing and a prayer.' 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 on a wing and a prayer
Cite this Entry
“On a wing and a prayer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20a%20wing%20and%20a%20prayer. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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