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.
Marcus Arthur tells Deadline about walking a tightrope in a streaming-first world where linear remains a big money-spinner. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 Walking the tightrope between acceptance and resistance puts studios, eager to save money with AI, in a bind. — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 Winning unaffiliated voters can require a tightrope walk for candidates who are faced with the dual tasks of appealing to their party base while persuading independent constituents. — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 The choice of chartreuse — a borderline putrid shade of it, no less — walked an appropriate tightrope between glamorous and grotesque. — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tightrope

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