in at the deep end
Placed in a complex situation (especially work-related) without adequate preparation or experience.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“My new boss threw me in at the deep end today.”
“You are in at the deep end during your first week of teaching.”
“She feels in at the deep end because nobody explained the rules.”
“They gave me a huge project on my first day, throwing me in at the deep end.”
“I had never used this software before, but the team put me in at the deep end by asking me to lead the presentation.”
“When the lead singer got sick, the young guitarist was thrown in at the deep end to perform for thousands of fans.”
“Despite his lack of formal training, the manager was thrown in at the deep end to lead the company through its most difficult financial crisis.”
The phrase is derived from the physical gradient of a swimming pool, which progresses from a shallow end intended for beginners to a deeper section reserved for experienced swimmers. It suggests the sudden immersion of an individual into the latter without the benefit of the former.
- 01
all ends up
Completely; totally.
- 02
arse end of nowhere
A very remote place.
- 03
big end of town
The top end of town.
- 04
bitter end
The end of a long and difficult process.
- 05
burn the candle at both ends
To work hard night and day; to sleep late and wake up early; to overwork or overexert oneself.
- 06
business end
The part of an object (chiefly a tool or weapon) that is physically used for its operation, rather than some other part such as the part by which it is held.
- 07
come to a sticky end
To die unpleasantly due to one's actions.
- 08
come to an end
To stop; to cease; to no longer continue.
Last updated August 10, 2026