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
As a centrist, Bayrou barely managed to walk that tightrope.
—
Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Part sports-underdog biopic, part domestic-abuse-survivor’s tale, and a textbook example of why turning a true story into tony entertainment is a real tightrope walk, this drama has extremely recognizable beats.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2025
Bunim/Murray carefully walked this tightrope.
—Peter White, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2025
The mayor’s political tightrope extends beyond the board.
—Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tightrope
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Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Part sports-underdog biopic, part domestic-abuse-survivor’s tale, and a textbook example of why turning a true story into tony entertainment is a real tightrope walk, this drama has extremely recognizable beats.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2025
Bunim/Murray carefully walked this tightrope.
—Peter White, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2025
The mayor’s political tightrope extends beyond the board.
—Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tightrope
Cite this Entry
“Tightrope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tightrope. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tightrope
noun
tight·rope
-ˌrōp 
: a rope or wire stretched tight for acrobats to perform on
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