beat a dead horse

phrase

chiefly US, informal

1

: to keep talking about a subject that has already been discussed or decided

I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but I still don't understand what happened.

2

: to waste time and effort trying to do something that is impossible

Is it just beating a dead horse to ask for another recount of the votes?

Examples of beat a dead horse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In other words, stop trying to beat a dead horse with certain people, jobs, or groups that are simply a wasteland for your bright light. — Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Dec. 2022

Not wanting to beat a dead horse, but if the pundit’s advice was followed, namely do not report the rather bland or inoffensive circumstance, here’s what could arise. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2021

Not to beat a dead horse here, but oh my goodness, the resonance. — Rose Maura Lorre, Vulture, 18 June 2021

Rhymes for beat a dead horse

• bourse
• coarse
• course
• force
• gorse
• hoarse
• norse
• source
• concourse
• divorce
• endorse
• enforce