idiom · neutral
be in dire straits
UK/bi ɪn ˈdaɪə streɪts/US/bi ɪn ˈdaɪr streɪts/be in DI·re STRAITS
to be in a very serious or difficult situation, especially financially
Examples
“After the company went bankrupt, many employees were in dire straits.”
“When his medical bills piled up, he found himself in dire straits.”
“The small island was in dire straits after the hurricane destroyed its main source of income.”
Band 8 sentence
“After losing his job and facing mounting debts, he found himself in dire straits and had to ask his family for help.”
Collocations
- be in dire straits financially
- leave somebody in dire straits
Word family
Common mistakes
be in the dire straits→be in dire straits
be in a dire strait→be in dire straits
Say it for a higher band
5have many problems→6be in trouble→7+be in dire straits
Synonyms
be in a desperate situation
be in trouble
Easily confused
in dire need
“Many families were in dire need of food and clean water after the flood.”
be in trouble
“The business is in trouble but not necessarily in dire straits yet.”
Related words
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In Hardship
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