Meaning of tar baby | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A difficult, abstract problem that worsens as one attempts to handle it; a sticky situation, especially one where attempts to make it better only make it worse.
   US
2. A black person.
   derogatory, ethnic, slang, slur

Equivalents

Examples

“2006, Mitt Romney, quoted in "Romney apologizes for calling Big Dig⟳ 'tar baby'", July 31, 2006, WISTV.com Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is apologizing for referring to the troubled Big Dig⟳ construction project as a "tar baby." / Romney made the comment⟳ during a speech at a fund-raiser with Iowa Republicans on Saturday. Romney told the crowd "The best thing politically would be to stay⟳ as far away from that tar baby as I can."”

“If Dees had indicated any willingness to personally pursue⟳ the case, Ed would've immediately had him appointed as a special prosecutor and turned this tar baby of a case over to him on the spot.”

CEFR level