stuck in a corner
1
7.5
- idiom
- Informal
- After losing his job and spending his savings, he felt stuck in a corner.
Examples
-
I'm feeling stuck in a corner since I can't find a solution to my problem.
-
I feel stuck in a corner with this project!
-
She tried every option, but soon she was stuck in a corner with no one to help.
-
Whenever I'm overwhelmed with responsibilities, I feel stuck in a corner.
-
After losing my job, I was really stuck in a corner.
-
After the argument, I realized I was stuck in a corner with no way to resolve the issue.
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When the deadline was moved up, I found myself stuck in a corner and unable to meet expectations.
Synonyms
114
6.2
A difficult situation with no easy way out
21
9.6
A situation where you cannot win because rules block every choice
9
6.7
A difficult situation where you have no good choice
1
8.2
Facing a choice between two equally bad options
1
9.0
You must choose between two options that are both bad
1
5.6
No other choices remain
1
9.0
To have to choose between two equally bad options while people on both sides pressure you
A hard situation where no choice seems good
Antonyms
How Trapped
22
4.5
- Informal
1
7.5
- Informal
7
8.0
- Informal
9
4.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'in a difficult situation with no options' follows directly from combining 'stuck' (unable to move) with the spatial image 'in a corner' (a position with limited room/options); the figurative meaning is a straightforward extension of the literal scene. This spatial-to-figurative mapping is common across languages and follows normal composition patterns, so an average B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Stuck in a corner comes from the image of a person pressed into a room corner, with walls on two sides so they cannot move. That's why being stuck in a corner means 'in a difficult situation with no options'.