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- DictionaryRat race/ˈrat ˌrās/
noun
- 1. a way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power: informal "they quit the rat race in order to live a simple life"
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Jun 16, 2024 · The meaning of RAT RACE is strenuous, wearisome, and usually competitive activity or rush.
A rat race is an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. The phrase equates humans to rats attempting to earn a reward such as cheese, in vain. It may also refer to a competitive struggle to get ahead financially or routinely.
THE RAT RACE definition: 1. a way of life in modern society, in which people compete with each other for power and money…. Learn more.
The meaning of THE RAT RACE is the unpleasant life of people who have jobs that require them to work very hard in order to compete with others for money, power, status, etc.. How to use the rat race in a sentence.
Rat race definition: any exhausting, unremitting, and usually competitive activity or routine, especially a pressured urban working life spent trying to get ahead with little time left for leisure, contemplation, etc.. See examples of RAT RACE used in a sentence.
the rat race : the unpleasant life of people who have jobs that require them to work very hard in order to compete with others for money, power, status, etc. She is quitting the rat race to spend time with her family.
the rat race meaning: the unpleasant way that people compete against each other at work in order to succeed. Learn more.
Rat Race Definition. A difficult, tiring, often competitive activity or routine. A mad scramble or intense competitive struggle, as in the business world. (idiomatic, singular only) An activity or situation which is congested with participants and which is hectic or tedious, especially in the context of a busy, modern urban lifestyle.
If you imagine a rat struggling to survive on the city streets, or a lab rat running through a maze to find a piece of cheese, you'll get a pretty clear idea of the meaning behind rat race. If it helps, picture the rat carrying a little briefcase.
What does the noun rat race mean? There are four meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun rat race . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
