Sometimes, people try hard to fix a problem, but nothing works. In those cases, we say the thing they are trying is “useless.” Idioms can help us talk about things that don’t work in a fun or clear way. These are short phrases that don’t always mean exactly what they say. They help us say a lot with just a few words.
In this article, we will learn idioms that mean something is useless. These idioms are easy to understand and fun to use. You might hear them in stories, on TV, or from adults around you. Once you know them, you can use these phrases in your writing or in real life when something doesn’t help or doesn’t work. Let’s look at these idioms one by one.
Idioms for Useless
1. A drop in the ocean
Meaning: Too small to make a difference
In a Sentence: Giving one toy to a big group was a drop in the ocean. / Cleaning one room in a messy house is a drop in the ocean.
Other Ways to Say: Too little / Doesn’t help much
2. Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic
Meaning: Doing something useless when there is a big problem
In a Sentence: Fixing the fence while the roof leaks is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. / Cleaning your desk while your homework is missing is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
Other Ways to Say: Pointless effort / Fixing the wrong thing
3. Beating a dead horse
Meaning: Trying something that won’t work
In a Sentence: Asking again won’t help it’s like beating a dead horse. / She kept trying to fix the toy that was already broken. It was like beating a dead horse.
Other Ways to Say: Waste of time / Useless trying
4. Going around in circles
Meaning: Not making any real progress
In a Sentence: We kept talking but didn’t solve the problem we were going around in circles. / I kept looking for the lost sock, but I was going around in circles.
Other Ways to Say: Not getting anywhere / Stuck
5. Barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: Looking in the wrong place or blaming the wrong person
In a Sentence: If you think I took the cookies, you’re barking up the wrong tree. / He blamed his brother, but he was barking up the wrong tree.
Other Ways to Say: Wrong guess / Misplaced blame
6. Like trying to catch smoke
Meaning: Impossible or useless to do
In a Sentence: Getting my baby sister to sit still is like trying to catch smoke. / Finding my toy in that messy closet is like trying to catch smoke.
Other Ways to Say: Can’t be done / No use trying
7. Spinning your wheels
Meaning: Using effort but getting nowhere
In a Sentence: I kept trying to solve the math problem but was just spinning my wheels. / He studied all night but didn’t learn anything just spinning his wheels.
Other Ways to Say: Getting stuck / Not moving forward
8. Like talking to a brick wall
Meaning: Talking to someone who doesn’t listen
In a Sentence: I told my brother to be quiet, but it was like talking to a brick wall. / Telling him to clean his room is like talking to a brick wall.
Other Ways to Say: Not listening / Ignored
9. Beating your head against a wall
Meaning: Trying something again and again with no result
In a Sentence: Trying to open that stuck jar is like beating my head against a wall. / I was beating my head against a wall trying to fix the tablet.
Other Ways to Say: No progress / Pointless work
10. Chasing your tail
Meaning: Doing things that keep you busy but don’t help
In a Sentence: I cleaned my room three times but it still looked messy I was chasing my tail. / He kept switching ideas and got nothing done.
Other Ways to Say: Wasting time / No real work
11. Like a screen door on a submarine
Meaning: Totally useless
In a Sentence: A screen door on a submarine wouldn’t help. / That paper umbrella in the rain was like a screen door on a submarine.
Other Ways to Say: Doesn’t work / Totally wrong
12. Like pouring water into a sieve
Meaning: Wasting time or effort
In a Sentence: Teaching him manners was like pouring water into a sieve. / Putting money in a holey bag is like pouring water into a sieve.
Other Ways to Say: Wasteful / No result
13. Throwing money down the drain
Meaning: Spending money on something useless
In a Sentence: Buying that broken toy was like throwing money down the drain. / Paying for a show we didn’t go to felt like throwing money down the drain.
Other Ways to Say: Wasted money / Bad choice
14. Like shouting into the wind
Meaning: Not being heard or noticed
In a Sentence: Telling my idea at lunch was like shouting into the wind. / She warned them, but it was like shouting into the wind.
Other Ways to Say: Not heard / Ignored
15. Useless as a chocolate teapot
Meaning: Funny way to say something is not helpful
In a Sentence: That plastic spoon was as useless as a chocolate teapot. / His advice was as useless as a chocolate teapot.
Other Ways to Say: Totally unhelpful / Doesn’t work
16. Like pushing water uphill
Meaning: Doing something very hard or impossible
In a Sentence: Getting my dog to take a bath was like pushing water uphill. / Doing group work with no help felt like pushing water uphill.
Other Ways to Say: Super hard / Won’t work
17. Like herding cats
Meaning: Trying to control something that’s impossible to manage
In a Sentence: Keeping all the kids quiet was like herding cats. / Getting my classmates to agree was like herding cats.
Other Ways to Say: Too hard to manage / Chaos
18. Flogging a dead horse
Meaning: Doing something that won’t make a difference
In a Sentence: Telling him to do chores again was flogging a dead horse. / Trying to fix that broken phone was flogging a dead horse.
Other Ways to Say: No use / Waste of effort
19. All foam, no beer
Meaning: Looks good but has no real value
In a Sentence: That toy looked cool but broke fast all foam, no beer. / The ad promised a lot, but it was all foam, no beer.
Other Ways to Say: No substance / Just show
20. Not worth a hill of beans
Meaning: Not worth anything
In a Sentence: His promises are not worth a hill of beans. / That idea isn’t worth a hill of beans if no one helps.
Other Ways to Say: Worthless / Not important
21. Like milking a bull
Meaning: Trying something that will never work
In a Sentence: Getting him to do homework is like milking a bull. / Asking her to be on time is like milking a bull.
Other Ways to Say: Won’t happen / Impossible task
22. Shooting blanks
Meaning: Trying something that doesn’t work
In a Sentence: His guesses on the test were just shooting blanks. / That idea was shooting blanks from the start.
Other Ways to Say: Didn’t help / No good results
23. Wild goose chase
Meaning: A useless or hopeless search
In a Sentence: Looking for my old toy in that pile was a wild goose chase. / Trying to find that email was a wild goose chase.
Other Ways to Say: Pointless search / No chance
24. Missing the boat
Meaning: Too late or not doing something when you had the chance
In a Sentence: We missed the boat on signing up for camp. / He missed the boat by not studying.
Other Ways to Say: Lost chance / Too late
25. Not lift a finger
Meaning: Not helping at all
In a Sentence: My brother didn’t lift a finger to help clean. / She won’t lift a finger in group projects.
Other Ways to Say: No help / Does nothing
26. Worthless as a broken crayon
Meaning: No longer helpful
In a Sentence: That remote is worthless as a broken crayon. / The flashlight with no batteries is worthless as a broken crayon.
Other Ways to Say: Can’t use / Broken
27. Can’t hold water
Meaning: An idea or plan that doesn’t work
In a Sentence: His excuse can’t hold water. / That story doesn’t hold water it doesn’t make sense.
Other Ways to Say: Not true / Not solid
28. Dead in the water
Meaning: Stopped completely or failed
In a Sentence: The school project was dead in the water after we lost our papers. / That idea was dead in the water when no one liked it.
Other Ways to Say: Stuck / Not going anywhere
Exercise to Practice
- Asking him to stop playing video games was like __________________________.
- Trying to clean the house alone with little kids running around felt like __________________________.
- Looking for my library card in that messy backpack was a __________________________.
- He kept trying the same broken code again it was like __________________________.
- That tiny flashlight with no batteries was as __________________________.
- No one listened to my warning it was like __________________________.
- Trying to plan the party without help was like __________________________.
- Her story didn’t make sense it couldn’t __________________________.
- I kept repeating myself, but it was like __________________________.
- The app didn’t work at all it was like a __________________________.
Answer Key
- talking to a brick wall
- herding cats
- wild goose chase
- beating a dead horse
- useless as a chocolate teapot
- shouting into the wind
- pushing water uphill
- hold water
- spinning my wheels
- screen door on a submarine
Conclusion
Idioms are short phrases that say a lot in just a few words. When something doesn’t help or doesn’t work, people use idioms to explain how they feel. Saying “it’s like herding cats” or “a wild goose chase” makes it easier to share your thoughts in a fun way.
Now that you know idioms for useless things or actions, you can use them in stories, writing, and even in conversations. These phrases help you say what you mean more clearly and quickly. Keep an ear out you might hear someone use one today.