up against a/the wall
idiom
informal
: in a very bad position or situation
The team was up against a wall in the first half of the game.
Examples of up against a/the wall in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Oklahoma City, the overwhelming favorite coming into these finals, has been shoved up against a wall by the underdog Pacers.
—
David Aldridge, New York Times, 20 June 2025
On opening night 1995, a rat scurried across the locker room floor at Miami Arena; Mellanby slapped it up against the wall, killing it instantly.
—Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025
Other Ways to Bet on Thunder vs. Timberwolves The Timberwolves have their backs up against the wall.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Abreu leapt up against the wall and batted the ball back into play, landing right in Rafaela’s waiting hands.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for up against a/the wall
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.
David Aldridge, New York Times, 20 June 2025
On opening night 1995, a rat scurried across the locker room floor at Miami Arena; Mellanby slapped it up against the wall, killing it instantly.
—Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025
Other Ways to Bet on Thunder vs. Timberwolves The Timberwolves have their backs up against the wall.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Abreu leapt up against the wall and batted the ball back into play, landing right in Rafaela’s waiting hands.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for up against a/the wall
Cite this Entry
“Up against a/the wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/up%20against%20a%2Fthe%20wall. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share