paint oneself into a corner
To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He painted himself into a corner by making too many promises.”
“I paint myself into a corner when I spend my whole budget on Monday.”
“By refusing to compromise during the negotiations, the manager painted himself into a corner with no way out.”
“If you tell your boss you can finish the entire project by Friday, you might paint yourself into a corner if the software fails.”
“The politician painted himself into a corner with his radical campaign rhetoric, leaving him no room to negotiate once he assumed office.”
The image is that of a domestic worker who begins to paint a floor without first identifying the location of the exit. The individual covers the entire surface with wet paint, only to find themselves confined to a corner from which there is no escape that does not involve the destruction of their own work. One simply steps on the fresh paint and ruins it, or one remains in the corner until the medium dries.
- 01
adorn oneself with borrowed plumes
To claim the honor of another for oneself.
- 02
apply oneself
Synonym of strive: to work hard, to complete an activity with good effort and focus.
- 03
around the corner
Imminent; very soon.
- 04
be oneself
To behave or act naturally, without regard to how this behavior is perceived by others.
- 05
bear oneself
To behave and conduct oneself in a particular manner.
- 06
box oneself into a corner
To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.
- 07
buy a dog and bark oneself
To do something that one has hired someone else to do.
- 08
carry oneself
To move, especially emphasizing the manner in which one moves.
Last updated August 10, 2026