back to the wall

ADJECTIVE

desperate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

despondent forlorn futile sad vain

STRONG

downcast goner

WEAK

at end of one's rope can't win dead duck despairing desponding gone hard up in the soup in the toilet inconsolable irrecoverable irremediable irretrievable no chance no-win running out of time sunk up against it up the creek useless wretched

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful happy hopeful joyful

WEAK

calm confident content contented satisfactory satisfied secure unworried

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.

"I very much had my back to the wall," he said.

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025

With his back to the wall, he flings himself about the stage like a performer desperate to wring every second of his dwindling time in the spotlight.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 1, 2024

Now she had her back to the wall.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2023

“Once I saw him running back to the wall, I was thinking in my head, ‘Oh, please just don’t catch it, just don’t catch it.’”

From Washington Times • Oct. 29, 2022

Next he turned around the desk in his office so that he was sitting at it with his back to the wall instead of to the window.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

back to the wall

Example Sentences

Related Words