noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   A tightly stretched rope or cable on which acrobats perform high above the ground.
2. 2
   tightly stretched rope or wire on which acrobats perform high above the ground wordnet
3. 3
   A difficult or desperate situation. figuratively

Verb

1. 1
   To walk on a tightrope. intransitive

Synonyms

All synonyms

bindclutchcomplicationcrunchembarrassmentfine kettle of fish

Example

More examples

"She dared to walk the tightrope without a net."

Etymology

From tight + rope.

Related phrases

tightrope artisttightrope dancertightrope walkertightrope walkingwalk a tightrope

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.