Home UK English between a rock and a hard place

Meaning of between a rock and a hard place in English:

between a rock and a hard place

phrase

informal

  • Faced with two equally undesirable alternatives.

    • ‘the alternative was equally untenable—she was caught between a rock and a hard place’
    • ‘The army chief is certainly caught between a rock and a hard place.’
    • ‘With the mayor and the police force all breathing down Harry's neck, Harry finds himself between a rock and a hard place.’
    • ‘Rex to Miles: ‘My wife has me between a rock and a hard place.’’
    • ‘Seeger, like many artists and writers on the left during the Twenties and Thirties, found herself between a rock and a hard place.’
    • ‘Thus, some workers may find themselves between a rock and a hard place after the normal retirement age is raised.’
    • ‘The Utah Senator finds himself trapped painfully between a rock and a hard place.’
    • ‘Both she and the bank were between a rock and a hard place.’
    • ‘It's a classic example of audiences putting composers between a rock and a hard place.’
    • ‘As an investor, you are between a rock and a hard place if your company faces bankruptcy.’
    • ‘As we will see, when it comes to inflation, the federal reserve is caught between a rock and a hard place.’