in dire straits
idiom
: in a very bad or difficult situation
With its best player out of the game, the team found itself in dire straits.
Examples of in dire straits in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And elsewhere, viewers drawn to writers in dire straits can find Dawn Porter’s When a Witness Recants.
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Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
The Raiders are in dire straits across the board and are still in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Dec. 2025
The government in Caracas denies that the economy is in dire straits.
—Phil Gunson, Foreign Affairs, 21 Nov. 2025
Joey Garrison Capitol Police union says officers are in dire straits amid shutdown
With the government shutdown almost certain to reach a fifth week, lawmakers' inability to compromise is increasingly hurting the people in charge of protecting them.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in dire straits
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Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
The Raiders are in dire straits across the board and are still in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Dec. 2025
The government in Caracas denies that the economy is in dire straits.
—Phil Gunson, Foreign Affairs, 21 Nov. 2025
Joey Garrison Capitol Police union says officers are in dire straits amid shutdown
With the government shutdown almost certain to reach a fifth week, lawmakers' inability to compromise is increasingly hurting the people in charge of protecting them.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in dire straits
Cite this Entry
“In dire straits.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20dire%20straits. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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