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Glite Dictionary
in the tank

in the tank

5 9.6
In a very weak or failing state, often financially
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : en crisis
  • Romney assumed that because the economy is in the tank, people would know his pick of Ryan was to address that.
  • the economy is in the tank
  • the stock is in the tank
  • the gas is in the tank

I had I had anemia, my ferritin levels were in the tank.

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Examples

  • Since the scandal broke out, the public's trust in the organization has been in the tank.

  • After the poor performance in the market, many investors felt their investments were in the tank.

  • So, is it any wonder that our economy is in the tank?

    Blog text (13)

  • You realize people are receiving those benefits because the economy is in the tank, right?

    Blog text (15)

  • We are in the tank, and our politicians are completely on board with it.

    Blog text (17)

  • Our brand, the American brand, is in the tank from economy to diplomacy and all the way to human rights.

    I've Had It

  • With declining sales and increasing debts, our company's reputation is in the tank.

Synonyms

in the toilet
vsin the tank
  • Informal
8 9.1

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

is a poor or weak state that is often less final

Antonyms

on the rise
63 4.2

Becoming more common or happening more often

thriving
6 3.8

Growing and very successful, like a busy café or arts scene

How Well

thriving
6 3.8
to do well
520 1.2
to manage
∞ 3.2
in the tank
  • Informal
5 9.6

Surface Forms

in the tank main

Morphology

in + the + tank

The preposition 'in' (inside/state) combined with 'tank' understood as 'to decline or fail' yields a coherent metaphorical state — being 'in the tank' = being in a declined/poor state — so the meaning is partially recoverable from the parts. However the phrase is informal and uses a metaphorical extension of 'tank', and learners who only know 'tank' as a literal container would not predict the sense, making the phrase not fully transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

In the tank may come from the picture of a big tank or pit where broken, empty, or unwanted things were put away and left to sit. That's why saying something is in the tank now means it is in a very 'weak' or 'poor' state.