the rat race

noun

: the unpleasant life of people who have jobs that require them to work very hard in order to compete with others for money, power, status, etc.
She is quitting the rat race to spend time with her family.

Examples of the rat race in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The tension between taking part in the rat race and holding on to a sense of self. — Francis Lam, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 May 2025 Despite the rat race, Orlean never loses sight of her love of the craft. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025 Quitting the rat race Like Chen, scores of young Chinese people have left big cities. — Albee Zhang, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026 What of being a mom while also participating in the rat race of professional life? — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the rat race

Rhymes for the rat race

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the ratings
the rat race
Theravada
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Cite this Entry

“The rat race.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20rat%20race. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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