a losing battle
A failing or hopeless effort; a situation or activity that is ultimately futile or cannot be won. Most often used in the phrase "fight a losing battle." I'd give up trying to get your brother to agree to this deal if I were you, it looks like a losing battle at this point. You're fighting a losing battle if you think you can convince Sarah to go to college. It looks like I'm fighting a losing battle trying to get a raise from my boss.
fight a losing battle
To try persistently and with great effort to do or achieve something that is ultimately doomed to fail. You're fighting a losing battle if you think you can convince Sarah to go to college. It looks like I'm fighting a losing battle trying to get a raise from my boss. Well, we knew from the beginning that we were fighting a losing battle—this type of cancer has no cure.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.