over a barrel
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.
It said the "unacceptable outcome" followed a pattern seen at other opencast sites, where councils were "held over a barrel", facing huge costs if companies ultimately decided to walk away.
From BBC • Aug. 7, 2024
If you haven’t jumped over a barrel since “Donkey Kong,” you may be reluctant to read Gabrielle Zevin’s immersive new novel about video game designers.
From Washington Post • Jun. 28, 2022
“We are over a barrel here,” Steinberg said in April.
From Slate • Jun. 6, 2022
"They tried to renegotiate their contracts halfway through the show and hold the producers over a barrel by walking out," she said in reference to a walkout that happened ahead of the shooting.
From Fox News • Nov. 2, 2021
“They’ve got us over a barrel and they know it.”
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
