# swim with sharks

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/swim-with-sharks
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To operate among dangerous people.

## Examples

- You have to be careful when you swim with sharks.
- If you want to succeed in this cutthroat industry, you must learn how to swim with sharks without losing your integrity.
- Entering the world of high-stakes corporate litigation requires a certain ruthlessness, for one is essentially choosing to swim with sharks on a daily basis.

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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.