# fish in troubled waters

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/fish-in-troubled-waters
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To try to take advantage of a confused or troubled situation.

## Examples

- He likes to fish in troubled waters during office arguments.
- The politician tried to fish in troubled waters by using the recent economic crisis to gain more votes.
- The opportunistic investor sought to fish in troubled waters, hoping to acquire struggling companies at a fraction of their value during the market crash.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.