Meaning: To abandon someone in a difficult situation without help
Hindi: मुसीबत में अकेला छोड़ देना
Synonyms: abandon, desert, forsake
Asked in: SSC Selection Post Ph-13 2025 · SSC CHSL 2024 T-1
leave in the lurch in SSC previous-year questions
- SSC CHSL 2024 T-1 Idioms & Phrases
Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined part in the following sentence.
My entire family left me in the lurch when I went to them after I divorced my husband.
(SSC CHSL 2024 T-1 (04-July Shift 2))Answer & explanation
Answer: C) refused to help me in my distress
Answer: 3 (refused to help me in my distress)
Explanation:
The phrase "left me in the lurch" means to abandon someone in a difficult or distressing situation without help or support.
• Option 3 accurately captures this meaning.
• Options 1, 2, and 4 describe other negative actions but do not precisely substitute the idiom.
Therefore, the correct substitution is "refused to help me in my distress." - SSC Selection Post Ph-13 2025 Idioms & Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiom:
"Leave one in the lurch"Answer & explanation
Answer: B) To abandon someone at a difficult time
'To leave one in the lurch' means to abandon or desert someone when they most need help - at a difficult time.
It is the opposite of supporting someone, and has nothing to do with giving gifts or taking credit. - SSC Selection Post Ph-13 2025 Idioms & Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiom:
"Leave someone in the lurch."Answer & explanation
Answer: B) To abandon someone in trouble or difficulty
The idiom 'Leave someone in the lurch' means to desert or abandon someone when they are in a difficult situation.
Option 2 (To abandon someone in trouble or difficulty) is correct as it accurately conveys the meaning of the idiom.
Option 1 (To support someone in a crisis) is wrong because it is the opposite of the idiom's meaning.
Option 3 (To give someone a surprise gift) is wrong as it has no connection to abandonment.
Option 4 (To mislead someone intentionally) is wrong because deception is not the focus of this idiom.
Examples
- “His business partner left him in the lurch during the crisis.”
leave in the lurch – questions
What is the meaning of leave in the lurch in Hindi?
leave in the lurch means “मुसीबत में अकेला छोड़ देना” in Hindi. In English: To abandon someone in a difficult situation without help
What are the synonyms of leave in the lurch?
Synonyms of leave in the lurch: abandon, desert, forsake.
What is the opposite of leave in the lurch?
Antonyms of leave in the lurch: support, assist.
Has leave in the lurch been asked in SSC exams?
Yes – leave in the lurch has been asked 3 times in SSC exams: SSC Selection Post Ph-13 2025, SSC CHSL 2024 T-1.