hanging by a thread
Almost falling apart
Hanging by a thread describes something barely holding on, in imminent danger of failing or being lost.
A patient's life hangs by a thread when death seems likely.
A relationship hangs by a thread when collapse is one argument away.
The company's survival was hanging by a thread after the scandal.
The image is of something suspended by the thinnest possible support.
- touch-and-goUncertain and risky
- close callDisaster narrowly averted
- close shaveNarrow escape from harm
- narrow escapeBarely avoiding disaster
- precariousDangerously insecure
on the brink · at death's door · tension · white knuckle · holding breath · perilous · fraying · dangerous · jeopardized · risky · on thin ice · razor thin · brittle · hair's breadth · skin of teeth · teetering · knife-edge · fragile
- close callsclose call, near miss, narrow escape, close shave, nick of time
- Precariousnessprecarious, unstable, teetering, tottering, wobbly
- Sewing Metaphorsseamless, woven, patched up, needling, on pins and needles
- burnoutburned out, burnt out, burn out, burning out, burnout
- tightnesstight, taut, snug, constricting, compressed
hanging by a threadrock solid
Utterly reliable and stable
on solid ground · secure · stable · firmly established · safe and sound
hanging by a threadguaranteed
Promised with certainty
in the bag · assured · certain · inevitable · home free
hanging by a threadcomfortable
Physically at ease
flush · well-padded · sitting pretty · in clover · high on the hog
hang, thread, hanging, threads, hanger, hanged, overhang, threadbare, hangers