tightrope

noun

tight·​rope ˈtīt-ˌrōp How to pronounce tightrope (audio)
1
: a rope or wire stretched taut for acrobats to perform on
2
: a dangerously precarious situation
usually used in the phrase walk a tightrope

Examples of tightrope 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.
Cincinnati took a 17-10 lead to halftime after Burrow connected with Brown, who walked a tightrope down the sideline for a 19-yard touchdown. Kevin Dotson, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024 During President-elect Donald Trump's first four years in office, Kennedy Center officials were forced to walk a public tightrope between the tradition of the president attending the ceremony and the open antipathy toward Trump from multiple honorees. Ashraf Khalil The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 9 Dec. 2024 During Donald Trump's first four years in office, Kennedy Center officials were forced to walk a public tightrope between the tradition of the president attending the ceremony and the open antipathy toward Trump from multiple honorees. CBS News, 9 Dec. 2024 Most member countries in Europe have tried to walk a tightrope between rejecting the ICC and explicitly affirming their willingness to act on the warrant. Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tightrope 

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tightrope was in 1801

Dictionary Entries Near tightrope

Cite this Entry

“Tightrope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tightrope. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

tightrope

noun
tight·​rope -ˌrōp How to pronounce tightrope (audio)
: a rope or wire stretched tight for acrobats to perform on

More from Merriam-Webster on tightrope

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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