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Glite Dictionary
in the shitter

in the shitter

2 9.9
In a very bad situation or serious trouble
  • idiom
  • Offensive
translation icon : estar jodido

Everything is in the shitter because of these psychopaths.

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Examples

  • We're in the shitter, man!

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Everything is in the shitter because of these psychopaths.

    I've Had It

  • That's why I'm in the shitter.

    Another 48 Hrs. (1990)

  • Yes, it is true that the man inherited an economy in the shitter.

    Blog text (31)

  • You do realize the economy is in the shitter because of dependence, don't you?

    Blog text (15)

  • We all know that Romney has to beat both Obama and the media, but even the media cannot hide that the economy is in the shitter and the people know this.

    Blog text (22)

  • Things are really in the shitter for our team after that last loss.

  • I found myself in the shitter when I lost my job unexpectedly.

  • After the scandal, the company's reputation is definitely in the shitter.

Synonyms

in the toilet
vsin the shitter
  • Informal
8 9.1

In a very bad state and not doing well, like a business losing money

emphasizes acute serious trouble rather than a mainly failed long term state
in the soup
vsin the shitter
  • Archaic
4 9.3

In trouble because of a problem

is more severe and describes a disastrous or very serious predicament
shit out of luck
vsin the shitter
  • Offensive
1 9.9

In a situation with no choice and no help to fix a problem

covers serious trouble often beyond mere bad luck and more disastrous

Antonyms

prosperous
83 4.1

Doing well and having a lot of money

How Troubled

in the shitter
  • Offensive
2 9.9
in a bad way
17 6.0
in trouble
∞ 2.9
in a tight spot
  • Informal
8 4.2

Surface Forms

in the shitter main

Morphology

in + the + shitter

While the preposition 'in' and article 'the' are fully transparent, 'shitter' is vulgar slang (literally referring to a toilet or someone who defecates). The idiomatic reading 'in serious trouble' is a metaphorical, slangy extension of being in a bad place and is not directly predictable from the literal constituents, so a B1 learner might only partially infer the meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

The idiom in the shitter may come from the word shitter, a rude name for a toilet or outdoor toilet. The image of being stuck inside a filthy toilet makes it easy to see why the phrase now means 'in trouble' or 'in a very bad situation'.