tightrope

noun

tight·​rope ˈtīt-ˌrōp How to pronounce tightrope (audio)
1
: a rope or wire stretched taut for acrobats to perform on
2
: a dangerously precarious situation
—usually used in the phrase walk a tightrope

Examples of tightrope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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 tightrope was a flat road to me, the drop was never there. — Literary Hub, 15 June 2026 Rookie lefty Tyler Samaniego walked the tightrope in a chaotic top of the eighth. — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 3 June 2026 The filmmakers cut freely and rapidly among the duo’s poses, their stumbles, their fears, their tightrope walks across precarious beams in the sky. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 1 July 2026 Against this backdrop, the Labour Party has walked a tightrope since being elected in 2024. — ABC News, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tightrope

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tightrope was in 1801

Rhymes for tightrope

See All Rhymes for tightrope

Browse Nearby Words

tightness
tightrope
tights
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tightrope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tightrope. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tightrope

noun
tight·​rope -ˌrōp How to pronounce tightrope (audio)
: a rope or wire stretched tight for acrobats to perform on

More from Merriam-Webster on tightrope

Nglish: Translation of tightrope for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tightrope

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