Sinking ship Meaning in English
expression
Definition
A 'sinking ship' is a situation or organization that is failing and unlikely to recover. It can describe something literally failing or be used as a metaphor for a hopeless cause.
Usage & Nuances
Commonly used in business, politics, or personal situations to describe something clearly failing. Often appears in phrases like "rats leaving a sinking ship," meaning people abandon a failing cause. Informal and metaphorical; not used in very formal writing.
Example Sentences
Nobody wants to invest in a sinking ship.
basic
Many employees left the sinking ship before the company closed.
basic
It felt like being on a sinking ship with no help coming.
basic
People are jumping off this sinking ship as fast as they can.
natural
No one wants to be the last one stuck on a sinking ship.
natural
When the project started going wrong, it quickly turned into a sinking ship.
natural