grasp at straws

agarrarse a un clavo ardiendo

• By the third interview, I was grasping at straws to keep the conversation going.
• After losing the match, the coach was grasping at straws to justify the loss.
• Facing bankruptcy, the company started grasping at straws by launching poorly planned products.

This idiom is used when someone is trying any possible solution, no matter how unlikely, in a desperate situation. It is common in colloquial speech and can appear in various contexts, from casual conversations to opinion pieces. It is not overly formal but is widely understood.

A common mistake is saying 'grasping the straws' in English, thinking it translates literally. However, that is not correct English; the fixed phrase is 'grasp at straws'.

• at the end of the day
  a fin de cuentas, en el fondo
• cut to the chase
  ir al grano
• beat around the bush
  andarse con rodeos
• see eye to eye (with someone)
  estar de acuerdo, coincidir plenamente