fight a losing battle
idiom
: to try to do something that one will not be able to do
I've been trying to organize this mess, but I think I'm fighting a losing battle.
Examples of fight a losing battle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Veteran party leaders insist that returning to the House floor to fight a losing battle is their best option.
—
Dallas News, 22 Aug. 2021
Left to fight a losing battle in the Republican Party, as the recent CPAC confirmed, the withering pro-democracy faction is up against frightening odds.
—Time, 19 Mar. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dallas News, 22 Aug. 2021
Left to fight a losing battle in the Republican Party, as the recent CPAC confirmed, the withering pro-democracy faction is up against frightening odds.
—Time, 19 Mar. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Fight a losing battle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fight%20a%20losing%20battle. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share