rat race

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

China’s industrial rat race helped power the country’s economic miracle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Yet the pressures - the ones that are pushing more Chinese youth to quit the rat race, "lie flat" and take their frustrations out online - remain.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025

Tangping, or “lying flat,” became a ubiquitous term for opting out of the rat race, not unlike the term “quiet quitting” in the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 12, 2024

Wall Street Journal fitness writer Jen Murphy shares tips for staying in shape while running the rat race.

From Slate • Apr. 30, 2024

“Joey also wants you to know that he has dropped out of the rat race and has rejoined the human race.”

From "Fourth Grade Rats" by Jerry Spinelli