Dog-eat-dog

Meaning:

If something is "dog-eat-dog", it is a situation where people have to take care of themselves and look after their own interests. If something is "dog-eat-dog", survival is the main thing to worry about. This idiom is commonly used together with the word "world". A "dog-eat-dog world" is a difficult world where every man and woman must look after him or herself. A very common phrase is "it's a dog-eat-dog world out there!"

Example sentences:

1. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there!
2. That's a dog-eat-dog situation.
3. He has a dog-eat-dog attitude.

Example dialogue:

A woman is talking to her friend about how difficult it is to find a job.

A: I've been looking for a job for 7 months now. I've found nothing that's any good.
B: Really? It's that difficult, eh?
A: Yeah, most of the good jobs are already taken, and the good ones that aren't taken are extremely competitive.
B: Wow. It's really a dog-eat-dog world out there, isn't it?
A: It sure is.

Practice question:

Have you ever experienced a dog-eat-dog world?