a drowning man will grab at straws

A form of a drowning man will clutch at a straw — A person in urgent need of assistance will seize any available form of aid, regardless of its insignificance.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. alternativeAlternative form of a drowning man will clutch at a straw
Cite this entry
APA

a drowning man will grab at straws. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20drowning%20man%20will%20grab%20at%20straws

MLA

“a drowning man will grab at straws.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20drowning%20man%20will%20grab%20at%20straws. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “a drowning man will grab at straws,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20drowning%20man%20will%20grab%20at%20straws.

Source: a drowning man will grab at straws on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.