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white knuckle

[hwahyt-nuhk-uhl, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪtˈnʌk əl, ˈwaɪt- /


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.

U.S. energy stocks have vaulted upward despite white-knuckle moments when oil prices seesawed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

So, in a new year, while we’re still holding onto resolutions with a white-knuckle grip, these are a few things that film culture should leave on the cutting room floor.

From Salon • Jan. 11, 2026

If England's crushing defeat in the first Test was a white-knuckle helter-skelter, this opening day in Brisbane was a titanic struggle and not for the faint-hearted.

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2025

Deaver and Maldonado have crafted a white-knuckle ride, although its forward momentum is undercut at times by overexplaining in clumps of exposition rather than allowing the reader to catch up more organically.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2024

The effort made him dizzy, and he had to white-knuckle the wood until his head cleared.

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker