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.

Reality: In reality, your manager’s back might be up against the wall. —

Chris Westfall, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025 House members are packed back up against the wall with the small group of reporters allowed to attend. —

Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2025 During the town hall, those police who responded to the mass shooting arrived and lined up against a wall of the church to applause from the community. —

Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2025 The man was reportedly found after having driven his vehicle up against a wall near a freeway on Lambert Road and the 57 Freeway in Brea, a city north of Orange County. —

Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for up against a/the wall

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“Up against a/the wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/up%20against%20a%2Fthe%20wall. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

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