Experiencing Difficulties: English Vocabulary List

in a situation that has unpleasant consequences for one

"In hot water."

"He found himself in hot water after failing to meet the project deadline."

in a situation where one has little choice to do what they want or need to

"Back against wall."

"With mounting debts and no income, she felt her back was against the wall."

to get involved with something that is too difficult for one to handle or get out of

"He is in over his head."

"She realized she was way in over her head when the project became too complex."

in a situation that involves difficulty, particularly one that is worse compared to that of others

"I am behind the eight ball."

"After losing his job he found himself behind the eight ball with no savings and many bills to pay."

used to denote that someone has little chance of success in a given situation

"Odds stacked against us."

"Despite his efforts, the odds were stacked against him winning the election."

used for saying that something is going to be of advantage despite causing difficulty at the moment

"The train delay was for the best, I avoided an accident."

"I know you are sad about the breakup but trust me it is for the best in the long run."

in a situation that presents a serious problem

"In a pickle."

"He was in a pretty pickle when his car broke down miles from town."

in a situation that is difficult to deal with

"In a tight spot."

"She found herself in a tight spot when she realized she had lost her keys."

in a difficult situation, particularly one that is not easy to deal with or get out of

"The team is in a tight corner now."

"The small business found itself in a tight corner when its biggest customer suddenly went bankrupt without paying its bills."

a situation with a lot of difficulties

"The company is in dire straits financially."

"The family was in dire straits after the father lost his job and they could not pay their rent or buy food."

used for saying that someone or something is affected or taken over by a very difficult or undesirable situation

"In the grip."

"The small town was in the grip of an unprecedented economic downturn."

experiencing many difficulties or challenges

"He put me through the wringer."

"The poor woman has been through the wringer this year with a divorce a job loss and an illness."

a situation that is filled with a lot of problems, confusion, or disorganization

"The company is going through troubled waters."

"The marriage counsellor helped the couple navigate the troubled waters of their relationship after the affair was discovered."

used to convey that one is in a difficult or challenging situation without a clear solution

"We are up the creek without a paddle now."

"When the boat engine failed we were up the creek without a paddle miles from the nearest shore."

used for referring to the time at which a situation gets really problematic, serious, or challenging

"When the chips are down, he is a good friend."

"When the chips are down you will find out who your real friends actually are."

tough, real-life experiences and challenges that one faces in life, often resulting in practical knowledge

"I learned my skills at the school of hard knocks."

"He never went to university but learned everything he knows at the school of hard knocks through real life experience."

in an unpleasant or difficult situation as same as what another person is experiencing

"We are all in the same boat with this problem."

"After the company announced layoffs all the employees were in the same boat worried about their future."

(of a difficult situation) to make a man tougher or more responsible

"The army made a man out of him."

"The army aims to make a man out of young recruits by teaching them discipline and responsibility."

to completely fail to be effective

"Her old suitcase fell to pieces."

"After the founder died the company fell to pieces and was eventually sold to a competitor."

to have or earn just enough money or resources to meet basic needs and survive

"He scratches a living by selling vegetables."

"The farmer scratched a living from the poor soil and barely had enough money to feed his family."

a difficult state or condition that is not easy to escape from

"It's a black hole."

"The project became a financial black hole, consuming resources without any return."

a situation marked by complexity, confusion, or strangeness, which is often difficult to escape from

"That's a rabbit hole."

"Researching the topic led her down a complex rabbit hole of historical inaccuracies."

a person's ability to adjust to a new or unfamiliar situation

"He has sea legs."

"After a few days at sea, she finally developed her sea legs and felt much better."

to experience a strong emotional or mental struggle, where someone feels overwhelmed, upset, and unable to handle their emotions

"I might fall to pieces."

"After the devastating news, he felt like he was about to fall to pieces."