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wild goose chase

a hopeless search for something unattainable

In Idioms & Sayings

In more detail

(idiom) a search or pursuit of something that is unlikely to succeed or that does not exist; a waste of time and effort

Examples

• Looking for my lost phone in the dark was a wild goose chase, so I gave up and waited until morning.

How to use wild goose chase

This idiom describes a fruitless effort undertaken with little or no hope of success, often implying that the goal is either impossible to achieve or does not actually exist. It is used informally to criticize wasted time and effort, frequently appearing in narrative or conversational contexts when recounting frustrating experiences.

Register: informal

Common phrases

• go on a wild goose chase
• send someone on a wild goose chase
• embark on a wild goose chase
• a wild goose chase for

Synonyms

fool's errand · futile quest · wasteful pursuit · pointless search

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use this phrase without the article 'a' (saying 'this is wild goose chase' instead of 'this is a wild goose chase'), or confuse it with similar idioms like 'snipe hunt', losing the sense of purposeless activity.

Nearby in Idioms & Sayings

turn a blind eye, water under the bridge, when pigs fly, burn bridges

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained