cornered

Cornered is an adjective and past participle derived from corner. In general usage, it describes a state in which a person, animal, or object has become confined to a limited space with little or no apparent exit. It can refer to literal physical confinement—such as being pressed into a corner of a room—or to a figurative predicament in which options seem to shrink and escape routes disappear.

In animals, cornered prey often exhibits intensified defensive behaviors, including withdrawal, aggression, or frantic attempts to escape in a last-ditch effort. The term is also used in everyday language to describe a person who feels pressed by circumstances or scrutiny and may react defensively or under pressure.

In human contexts such as law enforcement, negotiations, or military operations, cornering refers to surrounding a target to prevent escape. The tactic aims to secure surrender or arrest, but it raises safety concerns and ethical questions about proportionality, the use of force, and potential harm to bystanders or the subject.

In culture and language, "cornered" appears in idioms and is commonly used in headlines, fiction, and speech to convey pressure and limited options. It can function as a thematic motif about risk, choice, and consequence, and is often employed to dramatize situations where escape routes have effectively closed.