tread water

phrase

: to keep the body nearly upright in the water and the head above water by a treading motion of the feet usually aided by the hands

Examples of tread water in a Sentence

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What’s more, Outback Steakhouse treaded water on the sales front, while business at Texas Roadhouse and another competitor, LongHorn Steakhouse, nearly doubled, according to data from Technomic, quoted by Restaurant Business Magazine. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 July 2026 Walking laps in the shallow end, treading water or joining a water aerobics class can all provide an effective workout. — Patricia Neligan, AJC.com, 27 July 2026 The Board can continue to tread water as the two parties hash out contract violations, payouts, and how to implement policy governance. — Elaine Gantz Berman, Denver Post, 27 July 2026 The fisherman, who has not been publicly identified, had been treading water for about two-and-a-half hours without a life vest before the three man crew of the Seal Junior found him, according to the outlets. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tread water

Rhymes for tread water

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Browse Nearby Words

tread the boards
tread water
treadway bridge
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Cite this Entry

“Tread water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tread%20water. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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