cornered
adj. B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈkɔɹnɝd// UK //kˈɔːnəd// cor·nered
adj. feeling trapped in a place or a situation where you have no way to escape.
adj. forced into a position or situation from which there is no escape. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'feel' or 'look'.
The fox felt cornered when it saw the fence.
The politician felt cornered by the reporter's sharp questions and struggled to find a way to change the subject.
When the company's primary investor withdrew support, the CEO felt cornered, realizing that filing for bankruptcy was now the only viable path forward.
Usage
Commonly follows linking verbs such as 'feel', 'look', or 'seem'.