Meaning & use
treading water
Staying upright and afloat in water by moving the legs and arms without swimming forward.
See it in a sentence
The lifeguard taught the children how to keep treading water while waiting for rescue.
After the boat capsized, they spent twenty minutes treading water before help arrived.
A note on using this word
Figuratively, treading water describes making no real progress while simply managing to maintain the current situation.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. phrase
Making no real progress while merely maintaining the current situation.
The company has been treading water for years, with no growth in sales or staff.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “treading water”, then compare your use with the examples above.