Sometimes things just don’t work the way we want. You may try to fix something, but it stays broken. Or maybe someone gives advice, but it doesn’t help at all. When this happens, we call those things useless.
People often use special phrases called idioms to talk about useless things. These idioms are fun ways to say something has no value or doesn’t work. They help us describe things that waste time, energy, or space. In this article, we will learn 40 easy idioms for useless things or actions. They can help you understand others better and explain your own thoughts more clearly.
Idioms for Useless
1. A drop in the ocean
Meaning: A tiny amount that doesn’t make a difference.
For Example: Giving one penny to help build a school is a drop in the ocean. / My small effort was a drop in the ocean of work needed.
Alternatively: Just a little help / Too small to count
2. As useful as a screen door on a submarine
Meaning: Not helpful at all.
For Example: A broken pencil is as useful as a screen door on a submarine. / His idea was like a screen door on a submarine.
Alternatively: Doesn’t help / Makes no sense
3. Beating a dead horse
Meaning: Talking about something that won’t change.
For Example: Asking for a later bedtime again is like beating a dead horse. / Stop arguing it’s just beating a dead horse.
Alternatively: Wasting time / Going nowhere
4. Like trying to nail jelly to a wall
Meaning: Very hard and pointless to do.
For Example: Getting my cat to wear shoes is like nailing jelly to a wall. / It’s like nailing jelly to a wall trying to explain it to him.
Alternatively: Impossible / Useless task
5. A wild goose chase
Meaning: A long, silly search that leads to nothing.
For Example: Looking for my missing sock turned into a wild goose chase. / Finding the right crayon in that pile was a wild goose chase.
Alternatively: Pointless search / No result
6. Pouring water into a sieve
Meaning: Wasting time on something that won’t work.
For Example: Teaching my goldfish tricks feels like pouring water into a sieve. / Studying without focus is like pouring water into a sieve.
Alternatively: Time wasted / Goes nowhere
7. Talking to a brick wall
Meaning: Talking to someone who doesn’t listen.
For Example: Telling my brother to clean up is like talking to a brick wall. / I felt like I was talking to a brick wall.
Alternatively: Not hearing / Ignored
8. Chasing your tail
Meaning: Doing a lot but getting nowhere.
For Example: I was chasing my tail trying to find the right app. / She’s chasing her tail with that science project.
Alternatively: Going in circles / Getting nowhere
9. A dead end
Meaning: No way forward or no solution.
For Example: That idea is a dead end. / The puzzle was a dead end until I found the last piece.
Alternatively: No way out / Stuck
10. Going around in circles
Meaning: Repeating something without progress.
For Example: Our talk about bedtime rules went around in circles. / We kept going in circles on that math problem.
Alternatively: No progress / Repeating
11. A lame duck
Meaning: Something or someone that can’t do what it should.
For Example: That broken remote is a lame duck. / The old computer was a lame duck in our classroom.
Alternatively: Doesn’t work / Not useful
12. A white elephant
Meaning: Something costly but not helpful.
For Example: That giant toy is a white elephant no one plays with it. / The machine turned out to be a white elephant.
Alternatively: Waste of money / Useless gift
13. Barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: Wasting effort on the wrong thing.
For Example: You’re barking up the wrong tree asking Mom Dad made the rule. / I barked up the wrong tree with that idea.
Alternatively: Wrong guess / Useless effort
14. Spinning your wheels
Meaning: Working hard but not moving forward.
For Example: I’m spinning my wheels trying to organize this messy desk. / She was spinning her wheels with that puzzle.
Alternatively: Going nowhere / No progress
15. Like bringing sand to the beach
Meaning: Doing something pointless.
For Example: Bringing more cookies to the party was like bringing sand to the beach. / Extra glue was like sand to the beach we had plenty.
Alternatively: Not needed / Overdoing it
16. Beating your head against a wall
Meaning: Trying something that just won’t work.
For Example: I was beating my head against a wall trying to open the jar. / That level in the game feels like beating my head against a wall.
Alternatively: Stuck / Frustrating and useless
17. A fifth wheel
Meaning: Someone or something extra and not needed.
For Example: I felt like a fifth wheel when my friends paired up. / That extra chair is just a fifth wheel.
Alternatively: Left out / Not useful
18. Going down a rabbit hole
Meaning: Spending time on something that leads nowhere.
For Example: I went down a rabbit hole watching silly videos. / He went down a rabbit hole reading random facts.
Alternatively: Time-waster / Off-track
19. Like herding cats
Meaning: Trying to manage something impossible.
For Example: Getting all the kids in line was like herding cats. / Herding cats that’s what group projects feel like.
Alternatively: No control / Messy and hard
20. As helpful as a chocolate teapot
Meaning: Not helpful at all.
For Example: That broken flashlight was as helpful as a chocolate teapot. / His excuse was like a chocolate teapot useless.
Alternatively: Doesn’t help / Silly and pointless
21. Whistling in the wind
Meaning: Doing something with no effect.
For Example: Asking for no homework was like whistling in the wind. / His warning was just whistling in the wind.
Alternatively: No use / No one listens
22. Beating thin air
Meaning: Fighting something that isn’t there.
For Example: Yelling at the sky is like beating thin air. / Trying to fix that glitch felt like beating thin air.
Alternatively: Pointless fight / Hopeless effort
23. Crying over spilled milk
Meaning: Getting upset over something that can’t be fixed.
For Example: It’s done stop crying over spilled milk. / I broke the toy, but crying won’t fix it.
Alternatively: Let it go / Too late
24. Clutching at straws
Meaning: Trying useless things when there’s no hope.
For Example: He’s clutching at straws hoping that old phone will work. / I was clutching at straws trying to find my sock.
Alternatively: Desperate try / Won’t help
25. Running on empty
Meaning: Having no energy left to do anything.
For Example: After gym, I was running on empty. / She was running on empty during the spelling test.
Alternatively: No energy / Worn out
26. Throwing good money after bad
Meaning: Wasting more on something that already failed.
For Example: Buying another broken toy is throwing good money after bad. / That repair was a waste it didn’t fix anything.
Alternatively: Waste of money / Bad choice
27. Up the creek without a paddle
Meaning: Stuck in a bad spot with no help.
For Example: I forgot my project I’m up the creek without a paddle. / No Wi-Fi and no charger? Up the creek!
Alternatively: Big trouble / No way out
28. Building castles in the air
Meaning: Making big plans that will never happen.
For Example: He’s building castles in the air thinking he’ll fly with paper wings. / That plan is just a castle in the air.
Alternatively: Unreal dreams / Not happening
29. Empty promises
Meaning: Promises that never come true.
For Example: He made empty promises about helping clean. / Her “maybe later” was just an empty promise.
Alternatively: No action / Words only
30. A lost cause
Meaning: Something that has no hope of success.
For Example: Trying to teach my parrot math is a lost cause. / That toy is a lost cause it won’t work.
Alternatively: Hopeless / Won’t work
31. Not worth a dime
Meaning: Not valuable at all.
For Example: That old pen isn’t worth a dime. / His advice wasn’t worth a dime.
Alternatively: No value / Useless
32. For the birds
Meaning: Silly or not important.
For Example: This rule is for the birds. / That idea is for the birds it won’t help.
Alternatively: Foolish / Doesn’t matter
33. Waste of breath
Meaning: Talking with no result.
For Example: Telling him again is a waste of breath. / I gave advice, but it was a waste of breath.
Alternatively: No one listens / Useless words
34. All talk and no action
Meaning: Someone who says things but does nothing.
For Example: He said he’d help, but he’s all talk and no action. / That promise? All talk, no action.
Alternatively: No follow-through / Just words
35. Blowing smoke
Meaning: Saying things that don’t mean anything.
For Example: He was just blowing smoke with that big story. / That speech? Just blowing smoke.
Alternatively: Not honest / Fake words
36. Going nowhere fast
Meaning: Doing something that’s not helping at all.
For Example: Our plan is going nowhere fast. / That game strategy is going nowhere fast.
Alternatively: No progress / Not working
37. Hot air
Meaning: Empty or useless talk.
For Example: His big idea was just hot air. / That excuse was full of hot air.
Alternatively: Worthless talk / Nothing true
38. A flash in the pan
Meaning: Something that looks good but fails fast.
For Example: That toy was a flash in the pan fun for one day. / Her interest in soccer was just a flash in the pan.
Alternatively: Quick fail / Short-lived
39. All sizzle and no steak
Meaning: Looks good, but not really useful.
For Example: That app is all sizzle and no steak. / The new club was all sizzle, no steak.
Alternatively: No real value / All show
40. Not cut out for it
Meaning: Not good or right for something.
For Example: I’m not cut out for ballet. / That dog’s not cut out for tricks.
Alternatively: Doesn’t fit / Not useful
True/False Quiz: Idioms for Useless
- Saying “talking to a brick wall” means the person you’re talking to is listening carefully.
True / False - “A white elephant” is something that’s expensive but not helpful.
True / False - If you are “chasing your tail,” you are making great progress quickly.
True / False - Saying “a flash in the pan” means something lasted a long time and was very useful.
True / False - “Clutching at straws” means trying something smart and sure to work.
True / False - If your plan is “all sizzle and no steak,” it looks exciting but doesn’t really do much.
True / False - “Pouring water into a sieve” is a good way to save and collect water.
True / False - Calling something “hot air” means it’s full of truth and great advice.
True / False - If something is a “lost cause,” it means it is still very hopeful and worth your time.
True / False - “Beating a dead horse” means you’re trying to fix something that won’t change.
True / False
Answer Key
- False
- True
- False
- False
- False
- True
- False
- False
- False
- True
Scoring Guide
- 10 Correct Answers: Idioms Master!
- 7–9 Correct Answers: You really get Idioms, nice work!
- 4–6 Correct Answers: You’re learning, keep going!
- 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s learn about Idioms together!
Conclusion
Some things in life just don’t work out, no matter how hard we try. Idioms help us talk about these useless things in fun and simple ways. They make it easier to share what we feel or see when something doesn’t help at all.
Now that you know these idioms, you can use them to explain silly mistakes, bad ideas, or wasted effort. They are helpful when talking with friends, writing stories, or just understanding others better. Keep using these phrases, and they’ll soon become a natural part of how you speak.
