hang by a thread

Lincoln Riley said he sensed a shift in his team’s demeanor at halftime, just as the team’s Playoff hopes were hanging by a thread.

The night before, his team had suffered a "terrible loss" at home that left their NFL play-off hopes hanging by a thread.

But nothing substantial can happen while the Gaza ceasefire hangs by a thread, and Israel and Hamas still trade occasional blows.

The fragile cease-fire in Gaza hung by a thread.

The Dodgers' hopes of becoming the first team in 25 years to win back-to-back World Series are now hanging by a thread.