keep (someone) on his/her toes

idiom

informal
: to cause someone to be alert and prepared to deal with problems
The boss made regular inspections in order to keep employees on their toes.

Examples of keep (someone) on his/her toes 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.
Despite having to keep on her toes while shooting, now that the film is out there, Kane’s performance is earning widespread acclaim. Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2024

Dictionary Entries Near keep (someone) on his/her toes

Cite this Entry

“Keep (someone) on his/her toes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20%28someone%29%20on%20his%2Fher%20toes. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!