Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

someone's life hangs by a thread

idiom

/ˈsʌmwʌnz laɪf hæŋz baɪ ə θrɛd/

Definition

A situation where someone’s life is in serious danger or at risk of ending at any moment.

Examples

After the accident, his life was hanging by a thread as the doctors worked to save him.
The climber was in a dangerous position, and his life was hanging by a thread until rescuers arrived.
With her health deteriorating, she felt her life was hanging by a thread.

Meaning

This phrase illustrates a precarious situation where the survival or well-being of an individual is extremely uncertain, often dependent on a small chance or an imminent event.