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Glite Dictionary
hanging by a thread

hanging by a thread

7.3
In a very risky situation where failure can happen at any moment
  • idiom
  • Informal
: pendiendo de un hilo
  • After losing all his savings, he found himself hanging by a thread, unsure of what to do next.

So with one of the prime minister's detectives, I went back up, not realizing that the hotel was hanging by a thread above our heads.

Examples

  • So with one of the prime minister's detectives, I went back up, not realizing that the hotel was hanging by a thread above our heads.

    10 Downing Street

  • The company's future is hanging by a thread as it struggles to recover from the recent scandal.

  • With the storm approaching, the construction site was hanging by a thread, vulnerable to potential disaster.

Synonyms

on the line
vshanging by a thread
230 4.8

At risk of being lost or harmed because of how something turns out

is about being in immediate danger of disaster rather than general risk
out on a limb
vshanging by a thread
  • Informal
54 7.0

In a risky position without support from others

is about imminent disaster risk rather than social isolation or lack of support
precarious
vshanging by a thread
47 7.6

In a dangerous, unstable position likely to fall or fail

is more about immediate danger that might end in disaster any moment
to hang in the balance
vshanging by a thread
37 6.8

To be in a situation where the result is not decided, for example a job or game

is focused on clear imminent failure rather than undecided results
on the ropes
vshanging by a thread
  • Informal
15 7.7

Very close to failure or defeat with little chance to recover

is a precarious state but highlights general risk rather than certain defeat
to hang by a thread
vshanging by a thread
  • Informal
1 6.1

In a very dangerous situation where a small problem can cause everything to fail

is used as a descriptive phrase rather than a short verb form
on a knife-edge
vshanging by a thread
1 7.8

A situation that could easily end well or badly

is about immediate danger leaning toward failure rather than balanced uncertainty
to hang by a hair
vshanging by a thread
  • Informal
9.1

To be in a very risky situation and about to fail

is about a general risky state where disaster could happen any moment
on the high rope
vshanging by a thread
  • US
9.5

In a risky situation that could end badly

is more about sudden collapse risk rather than emphasis on severe outcomes

Antonyms

safe
∞ 1.0

Not likely to be harmed or in danger

secure
117 3.6

Feeling confident and free from worry or doubt

How Precarious

hanging by a thread
  • Informal
7.3
on thin ice
  • Informal
20 6.2

Surface Forms

hanging by a thread main

Morphology

hanging + by + a + thread

The idiom evokes the literal image of something suspended by a thin thread — if you know 'hanging' and 'thread' you can infer imminent danger or collapse. This physical-image metaphor is common across languages and follows an obvious compositional logic, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily grasp the precarious meaning.

Etymology

Hanging by a thread comes from the image of an object held only by a thin thread. If the thread breaks, the object will fall, so the phrase means 'in a very risky situation'.