Idiom: between the devil and
the deep blue sea
Meaning
Idiom: (caught) between the devil and the deep blue sea
- used to describe a difficult situation where there are two equally undesirable options
- in a difficult and inescapable position
Example sentences
— Help! I'm between the devil and the deep blue sea: My best friend from college and my best friend from high school are both getting married on the same day in different states and they both want me to be in their wedding.
— Until I got this job I was between the devil and the deep blue sea—borrowing from one credit card to make the minimum payment for several others.
— After two of my best friends had a terrible breakup, I've felt like I'm between the devil and the deep blue sea as I've continued being friends with both of them.
— My fiancé and I are between the devil and the deep blue sea because both our parents I want us to spend Thanksgiving with them but they live on opposite sides for the country.
— When I was a student, I was always caught between the devil and the deep blue sea having to chose whether to buy food or my bus pass each month.
— Since we don't have enough money to send both our children to college, we're between the devil and the deep blue sea about what to do.
— I'm caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. If I go on holiday during peak season, I may get fired but if I don't go, my girlfriend may leave me.
Synonyms
- between a rock and a hard place
- in a predicament
- in a quandary
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- Idiom: Between the devil and the deep blue sea
