Meaning of rope-a-dope | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A technique in which the boxer assumes a defensive stance against the ropes and absorbs an opponent's blows, hoping to exploit eventual tiredness or a mistake.
2. Any strategy where an apparently losing position is assumed in the hope of eventual victory.
   figuratively

Examples

“He sounded like a retired boxer who'd specialized in the rope-a-dope.”

“I went into my own version of Ali's rope-a-dope, ducking as many of the heavy blows as I could, and waiting for some kind of idea to come to me.”

“[…] process that in recent years has degenerated, sadly, into one long scorched-earth campaign filled with partisan rancor and legislative rope-a-dope.”

“Maybe, I suggested, it was the old rope-a-dope to lower expectations, but that was tougher for him than it had been in 2000: He was now the president.”

CEFR level