walk a tightrope
Navigate precarious situations
To walk a tightrope is to navigate a precarious situation requiring extreme care and balance.
The phrase comes from circus performers crossing a suspended rope, where any misstep means falling.
Figuratively, it describes managing conflicting demands or pressures: The mayor walked a tightrope between developers and environmentalists.
Parents of teenagers often walk a tightrope between giving freedom and setting limits.
- circusTraveling entertainment with performers
- high wire actElevated cable performance
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- hanging by a threadNearly failing or ending
- brinkmanshipPushing conflicts to disaster's threshold
nerves of steel · tread carefully · precariousness · go out on a limb · tightwire · equilibrium · dangerous · calculated risk · risky · skating on thin ice · threading the needle · finesse · Philippe Petit · diplomacy · hard · negotiation · poise · steady hand
walk a tightropesmooth sailing
Untroubled progress forward
walk in the park · easy street · effortless · breeze through · sail through
walk, walks, walked, walking, walker, walkers, tightrope, tightropes, tight