between a rock and a hard place

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.

US Federal Reserve chief Kevin Warsh will chair his first meeting of the central bank's rate-setting committee next week caught between a rock and a hard place.

From Barron's • Jun. 14, 2026

Still, farmers are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

From Salon • May 15, 2026

You are between a rock and a hard place.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

"You're really often put between a rock and a hard place because the fastest, cheapest, easiest way is to just rebuild a plastic-heavy, very simple structure."

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Another of Grandma’s sayings came to mind: stuck between a rock and a hard place.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles