the ropes
plural noun
1
: the special way things are done at a particular place or in a particular activity
The veteran cop showed the rookie the ropes.
It will take a few weeks for new employees to learn the ropes.
someone who knows the ropes
2
: a fence made of rope that encloses a boxing or wrestling ring
The boxer was pushed back against the ropes.
Examples of the ropes in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That approach worked well as Vivas pushed Carrington to the ropes where Vivas got caught with a combination that left him on shaky legs for the last minute of the second stanza.
—
Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
This gives him a vision of LIV Golf that goes far beyond what goes on inside the ropes, and his impressions are not entirely positive.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
At any one time, there are three iterations: Dawn, the youngster learning the ropes; Day, the de facto ruler; and Dusk, the former main man who now advises his younger self.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Despite being nearly a double-digit underdog, UConn had Florida on the ropes.
—Don Yaeger, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the ropes
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Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
This gives him a vision of LIV Golf that goes far beyond what goes on inside the ropes, and his impressions are not entirely positive.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
At any one time, there are three iterations: Dawn, the youngster learning the ropes; Day, the de facto ruler; and Dusk, the former main man who now advises his younger self.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Despite being nearly a double-digit underdog, UConn had Florida on the ropes.
—Don Yaeger, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the ropes
Cite this Entry
“The ropes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20ropes. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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