There are a few idioms like that. One is:
You're just beating your head against the wall.
another is
Like trying to squeeze blood from a turnip.
and another is:
It's like trying to herd cats.
They each are used is slightly different situations. To be most analogous to your expression it sounds like I'd use the first one: Trying to convince him is like beating your head against the wall
Answer from Jim on Stack Exchange Top answer 1 of 16
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There are a few idioms like that. One is:
You're just beating your head against the wall.
another is
Like trying to squeeze blood from a turnip.
and another is:
It's like trying to herd cats.
They each are used is slightly different situations. To be most analogous to your expression it sounds like I'd use the first one: Trying to convince him is like beating your head against the wall
2 of 16
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Sisyphean labor. "Sisyphean" means endless and unavailing, as labor or a task. Comes from Greek mythology, Sisyphus was made to roll a giant boulder up a mountain as punishment by the gods, but the boulder would always roll down before he could get it to the top, forcing him to begin the pointless exercise anew.
The Poke
thepoke.com › home › ‘as useless as …’ – 19 hilariously descriptive put-downs
'As useless as ...' - 19 hilariously descriptive put-downs - The Poke
November 21, 2022 - Over on Reddit’s r/AskUK forum, u/Ed_mutts_nuts asked – What’s a good ‘As useless as?’ They added – I love the English language and our creations. Someone came out with as useless as a woodpecker with rubber lips at a co-worker today. Cracked me up.
What’s your favourite “as useless as ____”?
Anne Frank's drumset More on reddit.com
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January 3, 2018What's a good as useless as?
A reminder to posters and commenters of some of our subreddit rules Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others, or other subreddits Assume questions are asked in good faith, and engage in a positive manner Avoid political threads and related discussions No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content Please keep r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. More on reddit.com
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November 19, 2022What's your best "It's as useless as" one liner? : r/AskReddit
What is your favourite "You're as much use as" insult?
Anne Frank's drum set. More on reddit.com
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September 27, 2016What makes the phrase "as useless as a" effective?
Its effectiveness lies in its simplicity and the use of a relatable comparison to convey the idea of utter uselessness. The impact depends on the specificity and vividness of the comparison used after the phrase.
ludwig.guru
ludwig.guru › s › as+useless+as+a
as useless as a | Meaning, Grammar Guide & Usage Examples | ...
What are some alternatives to the phrase "as useless as a"?
Alternatives include "as pointless as a", "as futile as a", or using a direct statement like "completely ineffective" or "entirely worthless".
ludwig.guru
ludwig.guru › s › as+useless+as+a
as useless as a | Meaning, Grammar Guide & Usage Examples | ...
How can I use "as useless as a" in a sentence?
You can use "as useless as a" to emphasize the ineffectiveness or futility of something by comparing it to something widely recognized as pointless. For example, "Trying to argue with him is "as useless as a" broken pencil".
ludwig.guru
ludwig.guru › s › as+useless+as+a
as useless as a | Meaning, Grammar Guide & Usage Examples | ...
GotLines
gotlines.com › insults › useless
You're as useless as... Insults
You're as useless as a knitted condom.
TheFreeDictionary.com
idioms.thefreedictionary.com › useless
Useless - Idioms by The Free Dictionary
Related to useless: indubitably, predecessor, abruptly · Utterly ineffectual, worthless, or unnecessary. Primarily heard in Australia. This umbrella is stuck inside out, so it's about as useless as an ashtray on a motorbike.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/askreddit › what’s your favourite “as useless as ____”?
r/AskReddit on Reddit: What’s your favourite “as useless as ____”?
January 3, 2018 - As useless as an accordion player on a deer hunt. ... As a one legged cat trying to bury a turd on a frozen lake. ... A fart in a wind tunnel. ... Stealing this. ... An organ on Uranus.
Quora
quora.com › How-do-you-metaphorically-express-the-uselessness-of-a-thing-or-a-person
How to metaphorically express the uselessness of a thing or a person - Quora
This adjustable crescent wrench is about as useful as a log in a brick cabin.” Sneak backhanded compliment, maybe? - if the log’s in the fireplace! The right tool for the right job. And it becam ... I like to just pop off the top of the knot with something curious, in the sense of peculiar (which could also mean “unique”). Use mixed metaphors, strained metaphors, absurd comparisons - in short, I say something that is itself in some sense useless.
Similespot
similespot.com › similes-for-useless
41 Best Similes for Useless That Hit Perfectly 🎯
January 19, 2026 - Example 2: Her speech was as purposeless as a blank page, saying nothing meaningful. Similes can transform your creative projects, adding depth and humor to your work. Here’s how to use these comparisons effectively: Poems: Sprinkle similes like “useless as a paper anchor” to evoke vivid ...
Pinterest
pinterest.com › gailmarie64 › useless-but-funny-sayings
49 Useless but funny sayings ideas to save today
49 Useless but funny sayings ideas | funny, sayings, bones funny · Skip to content · Search for easy dinners, fashion, etc · When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures · Log in ...
Ludwig
ludwig.guru › s › as+useless+as+a
as useless as a | Meaning, Grammar Guide & Usage Examples | Ludwig.guru
One Tehran daily, Jomhuri Islami, dismissed America's diplomacy as being as "useless as a chocolate teapot". ... "If I went into what is generally called retirement," Rather says, in consideration of his current pace, "I'd feel as useless as a pulled tooth".
BrainyQuote
brainyquote.com › quote topics › useless quotes
Useless Quotes - BrainyQuote
Talking about your problem or sitting alone, thinking about it, does no good; it serves only to make you miserable. Above all else, remember that worrying is totally useless. Worrying will not solve your problem. Joyce Meyer · It is better wither to be silent, or to say things of more value than silence.
Bartleby
bartleby.com › lit-hub › a-dictionary-of-similes › useless-2
Useless - Collection at Bartleby.com
November 29, 2022 - Useless Useless as a chimney until you light your fire.—AnonymousUseless as a gun without a trigger.—AnonymousUseless as a disabled
PRNEWS
prnewsonline.com › home › blogger network › the epic list of useless words and phrases (continued)
The Epic List of Useless Words and Phrases (Continued) - PRNEWS
July 27, 2021 - The word “social” as a noun, as in, “Acme does social really well.” (Being social means having friends, not selling product.)
Helloswanky
helloswanky.com › blogs › quotes › useless-quotes
Useless Quotes: Funny, Absurd and Pointless Wisdom – Hello Swanky Online Pvt. Ltd.
October 27, 2025 - Jellybeans fail budgeting exams, proving that assigning expectations to incapable elements creates absurd, ineffective, or meaningless outcomes. Lamps ignore sandwich advice, demonstrating that objects cannot act outside their function, making guidance irrelevant. Jacket zippers don’t predict weather, proving that tools function only within context and cannot provide insight beyond intended purpose. Sometimes, the words that say nothing echo the loudest online. A useless quote’s charm is that it demands no understanding.
Facebook
facebook.com › groups › memorylaneaust › posts › 8146559395366979
Memory Lane - Growing up in Australia | Those sayings “about as...
Those sayings “about as useful as…………” my fave was “tits on a bull” 😂
Green's Dictionary of Slang
greensdictofslang.com › entry › jstosma
useless as..., adj. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang
...a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest · (US) absolutely worthless. ...a pork chop at a Jewish wedding (also ...slice of bacon at a Jewish wedding) see under pork chop at a Jewish wedding phr. ...a spare prick at a (lesbian) wedding · totally useless.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/askuk › what's a good as useless as?
r/AskUK on Reddit: What's a good as useless as?
November 19, 2022 -
I love the English language and our creations. Some one came out with as useless as a woodpecker with rubber lips at a co-worker today. Craiced me up any more really original ones?
Gotinsults
gotinsults.com › insults › useless
You're Useless - Got Insults?
You're as useless as rubber lips on a woodpecker.
Uselessjokes
uselessjokes.com › the-ultimate-compilation-30-as-useless-as-jokes
The Ultimate Compilation: 30 “As Useless As” Jokes – Useless Jokes
As useless as a submarine with a sunroof.
Quora
quora.com › What-are-some-useful-idioms-or-phrases-with-useless
What are some useful idioms or phrases with 'useless'? - Quora
No man is useless if he relieves someone else’s burden. The umbrella is stuck inside out, so it’s as useless as an ashtray on a motorbike.