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.

"They're caught between a rock and a hard place," said Martin.

From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026

Nor are you the only person who feels caught between a rock and a hard place.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 13, 2025

“When a goat finds itself between a rock and a hard place, our firefighters don’t kid around!”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2025

“But internationally, it’s between a rock and a hard place, and the long-term trends are not working in its favor.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 7, 2025

Duane had come to a dilemma often described as being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el