The meaning of the idiom ‘To be in the same boat’, is to be in the same situation or predicament as someone else. To elaborate, if two or more people are in the same boat, then they are in the same difficult situation or are facing the same problem.
In popular culture, the practice of people travelling together in boats is likely to be the originator of the idiom. As if a boat is in trouble, everyone on board gets affected and must work together to solve the problem.
This phrase has been in use since the 16th century and has been in literature and conversation ever since.
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Usage with Examples
The usage of the idiom is suitable to hint at a challenge, problem, unfavourable circumstance, or any other similar situation.
Let’s take a closer look at the examples given below to master the usage of the idiom:
- I know you’re struggling with your finances, but we’re in the same boat.
- The entire team is in the same boat now that our project deadline has been moved up.
- We may have different roles, but we’re all in the same boat when it comes to meeting our sales targets.
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To be in the Same Boat Synonyms
You can also use these synonymous phrases instead of the idiom conversation:
- In the same predicament
- Facing the same challenge
- Dealing with the same issue
- Sharing a common problem
- In the same situation
To be in the Same Boat Meaning Quiz
Choose the most appropriate option to complete the given sentence: “We’re all in the same boat when…”
- It comes to dealing with this pandemic.
- Everyone receives an appraisal letter from HR.
- We see a reptile crawling in the locality.
Answer: It comes to dealing with this pandemic.
Also Read: Idioms for IELTS
This was all about the idiom To be in the same boat meaning and definition with examples. Hopefully, you understood the concept where it’s used. For more such blogs, follow Leverage Edu.