# slender reed

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/slender-reed
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A person, fact, or resource on which one can rely only to a limited extent.

## Examples

- That promise is a slender reed to rely on.
- His argument for the new policy is a slender reed that will likely break under pressure.
- The politician's defense rested upon a slender reed of circumstantial evidence, which the prosecutor quickly dismantled during the trial.

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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.