between the devil and the deep blue sea

ADJECTIVE

in a tight spot

Synonyms

WEAK

Catch-22 Hobson's choice between Scylla and Charybdis between a rock and a hard place between the hammer and the anvil between two fires cornered in a dilemma in a pickle in a predicament in the middle no choice sitting on a powder keg

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.

The useful cliché that is pounding like a bad headache through the frontal lobe of millions of voters is the one about choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2016

At the conference, Mr Longworth said the EU referendum was a choice between the "devil and the deep blue sea".

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2016

Director-general John Longworth told the organization's convention this week that Britain faced a choice between "the devil and the deep blue sea."

From US News • Mar. 5, 2016

"Opel is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea."

From Reuters • Sep. 12, 2011

Truly, Nance lived "between the devil and the deep blue sea!"

From Memories of a Musical Life by Mason, William