Idioms are expressions that can sometimes make communication much more colorful and fun. They’re a creative way of talking about tough or challenging situations, especially when it feels like there’s no way out. Idioms related to impossible situations are great for helping us express frustration, determination, and how we overcome the most difficult circumstances. Let’s take a look at 50 idioms that deal with seemingly impossible situations and how to use them in everyday conversations!
In this article, we’ll dive into idioms that reflect what happens when you find yourself in a sticky or seemingly hopeless situation. These idioms are widely used in everyday conversations and can come in handy when you want to express that something is difficult, hopeless, or feels impossible to achieve. We’ll explore their meanings, provide example sentences, and even suggest other ways to say these expressions. Let’s start our journey into the world of idioms!
Idioms for Impossible Situations
1. A needle in a haystack
Meaning: Something that is extremely hard to find.
In a Sentence: Finding my lost keys in this huge park is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Other Ways to Say: Very hard to find, Almost impossible
2. Up the creek without a paddle
Meaning: In a very difficult situation with no easy way out.
In a Sentence: After my car broke down in the middle of nowhere, I was up the creek without a paddle.
Other Ways to Say: In deep trouble, Stuck in a tough spot
3. Between a rock and a hard place
Meaning: In a situation where you have to choose between two equally bad options.
In a Sentence: I’m between a rock and a hard place—either I lose my job, or I have to move far away.
Other Ways to Say: In a dilemma, Stuck with no good choices
4. Fighting a losing battle
Meaning: Trying to do something that has no chance of success.
In a Sentence: Trying to change his mind about the trip felt like fighting a losing battle.
Other Ways to Say: A pointless fight, Hopeless effort
5. A fool’s errand
Meaning: A task that is pointless or has no chance of success.
In a Sentence: Trying to finish the project in one day was a fool’s errand.
Other Ways to Say: A waste of time, A useless task
6. Walking on thin ice
Meaning: In a risky or dangerous situation.
In a Sentence: He’s walking on thin ice by trying to negotiate with the angry customers.
Other Ways to Say: In a dangerous spot, On the edge of trouble
7. The blind leading the blind
Meaning: A situation where both parties involved are equally unqualified to help each other.
In a Sentence: When they tried to fix the broken machine without any technical knowledge, it was the blind leading the blind.
Other Ways to Say: Both clueless, No one knows what they’re doing
8. Running out of steam
Meaning: Losing energy or enthusiasm for something.
In a Sentence: By the end of the marathon, I was running out of steam and could barely keep going.
Other Ways to Say: Running low on energy, Losing momentum
9. Burn the candle at both ends
Meaning: To work too hard without enough rest, leading to exhaustion.
In a Sentence: I’ve been burning the candle at both ends trying to finish all my assignments before the deadline.
Other Ways to Say: Overworking, Not taking breaks
10. Chasing your tail
Meaning: Doing something but not getting anywhere or making progress.
In a Sentence: I spent the whole day chasing my tail, trying to organize all these files.
Other Ways to Say: Running in circles, Wasting time
11. A catch-22
Meaning: A situation where you cannot avoid a problem because of contradictory rules or circumstances.
In a Sentence: I can’t get a job without experience, but I can’t get experience without a job—it’s a catch-22.
Other Ways to Say: No-win situation, Paradoxical problem
12. A wild goose chase
Meaning: A hopeless or futile search for something.
In a Sentence: Looking for that rare book in every bookstore in town turned into a wild goose chase.
Other Ways to Say: Useless pursuit, Pointless search
13. Spinning your wheels
Meaning: To waste time on something without making progress.
In a Sentence: We’re just spinning our wheels if we keep discussing this issue without a solution.
Other Ways to Say: Getting nowhere, Stuck in place
14. Pushing a boulder uphill
Meaning: To do something very difficult that seems almost impossible.
In a Sentence: Trying to explain this project to the team feels like pushing a boulder uphill.
Other Ways to Say: A hard task, An uphill struggle
15. Running into a brick wall
Meaning: To face an obstacle that stops you from making progress.
In a Sentence: I felt like I was running into a brick wall when my computer crashed during the presentation.
Other Ways to Say: Facing an obstacle, Coming to a halt
16. Out of the frying pan and into the fire
Meaning: To go from a bad situation to one that is even worse.
In a Sentence: When the meeting went wrong, it felt like going out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Other Ways to Say: A worse situation, A step down
17. Like trying to nail jelly to a wall
Meaning: A task that is impossible or extremely difficult.
In a Sentence: Organizing all these papers is like trying to nail jelly to a wall.
Other Ways to Say: Impossible task, Utterly futile
18. Chasing the wind
Meaning: Pursuing something unattainable or hopeless.
In a Sentence: She’s chasing the wind if she thinks she can convince him to change his mind.
Other Ways to Say: A fruitless chase, A hopeless pursuit
19. A stone’s throw away
Meaning: A very short distance, but sometimes it feels much farther when the task is difficult.
In a Sentence: Getting the job done is just a stone’s throw away, but every little step feels like an obstacle.
Other Ways to Say: Just a step away, Close but hard
20. The impossible dream
Meaning: Something that is extremely difficult or impossible to achieve.
In a Sentence: Becoming a world champion in tennis seems like the impossible dream.
Other Ways to Say: A far-off goal, Unachievable aspiration
21. A pipe dream
Meaning: A hope or plan that is unrealistic and not likely to happen.
In a Sentence: Owning a house on the moon is just a pipe dream at this point.
Other Ways to Say: Unrealistic hope, Fantasy
22. Going down in flames
Meaning: Failing completely in a dramatic or spectacular way.
In a Sentence: My attempt to solve the problem on my own ended up going down in flames.
Other Ways to Say: A total failure, A big mess
23. Crying over spilled milk
Meaning: Complaining about something that cannot be undone.
In a Sentence: There’s no point crying over spilled milk; we just need to fix the situation.
Other Ways to Say: Worrying over the past, Regretful over something done
24. Like finding a four-leaf clover
Meaning: Something very rare and hard to find.
In a Sentence: Finding the right solution to this problem is like finding a four-leaf clover.
Other Ways to Say: Extremely rare, A once-in-a-lifetime thing
25. Up against a brick wall
Meaning: Facing a challenge or obstacle that is difficult to overcome.
In a Sentence: We’re up against a brick wall with this project, but we can still try our best.
Other Ways to Say: Facing resistance, Dealing with an obstacle
26. Sinking in quicksand
Meaning: Being in a situation that gets worse and worse, where you can’t escape.
In a Sentence: I felt like I was sinking in quicksand as more and more problems piled up at work.
Other Ways to Say: Trapped, Stuck in a worsening situation
27. Paddling in the deep end
Meaning: Trying to handle a situation that is too difficult or overwhelming.
In a Sentence: I’m paddling in the deep end with this new role at work.
Other Ways to Say: In over your head, Overwhelmed
28. Throwing in the towel
Meaning: Giving up or quitting, especially after trying hard.
In a Sentence: After hours of trying to fix the broken device, I finally threw in the towel.
Other Ways to Say: Give up, Admit defeat
29. A slippery slope
Meaning: A situation that leads to increasingly negative consequences.
In a Sentence: Ignoring the minor problems now could lead to a slippery slope later.
Other Ways to Say: A dangerous path, A negative trend
30. Lost in the fog
Meaning: Unable to think clearly or make sense of a situation.
In a Sentence: I was completely lost in the fog during the meeting because the discussion was too confusing.
Other Ways to Say: Confused, Disoriented
31. Swimming against the tide
Meaning: Trying to do something that goes against the majority or is very difficult.
In a Sentence: Trying to change the old system felt like swimming against the tide.
Other Ways to Say: Going against the flow, Doing something unpopular
32. A shot in the dark
Meaning: A guess or attempt with little chance of success.
In a Sentence: Trying to fix this machine without instructions is just a shot in the dark.
Other Ways to Say: A wild guess, A long shot
33. Throwing caution to the wind
Meaning: Taking a risk without thinking about the consequences.
In a Sentence: Starting my own business felt like throwing caution to the wind.
Other Ways to Say: Risking it all, Going for it
34. In over your head
Meaning: In a situation that is too difficult to handle.
In a Sentence: I was in over my head when I tried to organize the event all by myself.
Other Ways to Say: Overwhelmed, Too much to handle
35. A rock and a hard place
Meaning: A situation where you must choose between two bad options.
In a Sentence: She was stuck between a rock and a hard place when her job asked her to relocate.
Other Ways to Say: In a tough spot, No good options
36. Climbing a mountain with no gear
Meaning: Facing an impossible challenge without the right tools or preparation.
In a Sentence: Trying to start the project with no plan is like climbing a mountain with no gear.
Other Ways to Say: Unprepared for a tough task, Struggling without support
37. A mountain to climb
Meaning: A difficult task that seems almost impossible to complete.
In a Sentence: The project ahead of me is a mountain to climb, but I’m determined to tackle it.
Other Ways to Say: A tough challenge, A long road ahead
38. Like trying to herd cats
Meaning: Trying to do something that is very difficult or impossible due to chaos or disorganization.
In a Sentence: Coordinating the team’s schedules is like trying to herd cats.
Other Ways to Say: Herding a group of misfits, Managing chaos
39. Walking a tightrope
Meaning: Being in a risky situation where any small mistake can cause problems.
In a Sentence: Managing this delicate relationship feels like walking a tightrope every day.
Other Ways to Say: Balancing on the edge, On the verge of danger
40. Like looking for a unicorn
Meaning: Searching for something that is almost impossible to find.
In a Sentence: Trying to find a parking spot during the festival felt like looking for a unicorn.
Other Ways to Say: Searching for something rare, Almost impossible to find
41. Staring down the barrel of a gun
Meaning: Facing a very difficult or dangerous situation.
In a Sentence: We’re staring down the barrel of a gun if we don’t fix this issue before the deadline.
Other Ways to Say: Facing danger, In serious trouble
42. Riding the struggle bus
Meaning: Going through a tough or difficult situation.
In a Sentence: The project has been a nightmare; I’ve been riding the struggle bus all week.
Other Ways to Say: Going through a hard time, Facing difficulties
43. A fish out of water
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable or out of place in a situation.
In a Sentence: I felt like a fish out of water during the meeting since I didn’t understand the topic.
Other Ways to Say: Out of your element, Unfamiliar situation
44. Like finding a needle in a haystack
Meaning: Something that is almost impossible to find.
In a Sentence: Finding the missing file in this office is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Other Ways to Say: Extremely difficult, Almost impossible to find
45. Lost cause
Meaning: Something or someone that cannot be saved or improved.
In a Sentence: After several failed attempts, the project was a lost cause.
Other Ways to Say: Beyond saving, Hopeless situation
46. Getting caught in the crossfire
Meaning: Getting involved in a situation that you had no control over, often with negative consequences.
In a Sentence: I got caught in the crossfire when my coworkers started arguing in the meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Caught in the middle, Unintentionally involved
47. Flogging a dead horse
Meaning: To keep trying to do something that is pointless or already decided.
In a Sentence: Arguing with her about the decision was like flogging a dead horse.
Other Ways to Say: Wasting time, A futile effort
48. The last straw
Meaning: The final problem or issue that makes someone give up.
In a Sentence: The constant delays were the last straw, and I decided to quit the project.
Other Ways to Say: Final breaking point, Last chance
49. Don’t bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: Don’t take on more than you can handle.
In a Sentence: Don’t bite off more than you can chew by signing up for too many activities.
Other Ways to Say: Don’t overcommit, Don’t take on too much
50. Swimming with sharks
Meaning: Being in a dangerous or high-risk situation where others may take advantage of you.
In a Sentence: Entering the high-stakes business world felt like swimming with sharks.
Other Ways to Say: Risking everything, In a dangerous game
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks:
- Trying to complete this task without any help feels like _____________.
- I felt like I was ___________ when I had to manage the entire project on my own.
- His idea of going on a solo backpacking trip was a ___________ dream.
- With no experience, it felt like ___________ when I tried to fix the plumbing.
- Her proposal for change felt like ___________—it seemed impossible.
- The deadline is approaching fast, and we’re ___________ without a paddle.
- After hours of failure, we were just ___________ in the dark, hoping for a solution.
- The team’s lack of coordination felt like ___________—nothing was getting done.
- Trying to navigate through this problem with no help is like ___________ with sharks.
- The manager was ___________ when he asked for a solution to such a complex problem.
Answers:
a needle in a haystack, in over my head, the impossible, chasing your tail, a fool’s errand, up the creek, spinning your wheels, like trying to herd cats, swimming with sharks, staring down the barrel
Conclusion
Idioms are powerful expressions that can make even the most difficult or impossible situations feel more manageable. By learning and using these idioms, you can better communicate your feelings, frustrations, and experiences when faced with challenges.
As you practice using these expressions in conversations, you’ll not only expand your vocabulary but also become more comfortable with the different ways language can capture the complexity of difficult moments. So, the next time you’re up against an impossible situation, use one of these idioms to express your thoughts and bring some color to your words!
