clutch at straws

The phrase "clutch at straws" is an idiom that is used to describe a desperate or futile attempt to find a solution or hope in a desperate situation. It originated from the action of a drowning person desperately grabbing onto any straw or object within reach in the hopes of saving themselves, even though it is highly unlikely to be effective. In a figurative sense, it refers to someone who is in a hopeless or difficult situation and is grasping onto any possible option, no matter how unlikely or insignificant it may be, as a last resort.