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I'm looking for an idiom to describe a task where you put in a lot of effort but in vain.

user405662
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Swati
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    The answer would vary depending upon what what preventing the success. – Chenmunka Jun 07 '22 at 07:08
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    Is this for when what you’re doing is a waste of time or when it had a good chance of succeeding but just failed? – Jim Jun 07 '22 at 07:12
  • https://english.stackexchange.com/q/209267/17956 – Jim Jun 07 '22 at 07:15
  • Your question was closed for lack of clarity but seems clear and answerable. I suggest it should be reopened.

    It is a Sisyphean task:

    Cambridge

    Sisyphean:
    used to describe a task that can never be completed

    The word relates to the fate of Sysiphus, who was condemned to roll rocks up a hill only for them to roll back down

     – Anton Jun 07 '22 at 07:22
  • The question is not clear and answerable because there is not enough information here about why the task is in vain. A sisyphean task is not flogging a dead horse. The potential variety of answers for such a vague question indicates that more detail is needed. – Andrew Leach Jun 07 '22 at 08:38
  • Another idiom is "closing the barn door after the horse has bolted." But that's only applicable if you're doing it in vain because it's too late. – Peter Shor Jun 07 '22 at 12:25

1 Answers1

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Flog a dead horse is a common idiom in such situations.

flog a dead horse

[The Free Dictionary]

user405662
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