fool's errand

American  

noun

1. a completely absurd, pointless, or useless errand.

---

fool's errand British  

noun

1. a fruitless undertaking

---

fool's errand Idioms  

1. A fruitless mission or undertaking, as in Asking the bank for yet another loan was clearly a fool's errand. [c. 1700]

---

Example Sentences

And when it comes to healing, understanding the exact contribution to improvement is a fool’s errand.

From Slate

In fact, I hope there’s something freeing in admitting that avoiding the authenticity trap is a fool’s errand because Crockett and other candidates like her can simply stop trying to meet a standard that eludes them.

From Salon

Predicting when a bubble is finally about to burst could be a fool’s errand.

From Barron's

Trying to explain journalistic ethics to a lifelong criminal was probably a fool’s errand, but I still tried.

From Slate

On a normal cruise out of Florida, finding a free chair with a view of the ocean can be a fool’s errand, unless you’re willing to get up at daybreak.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ploy
• smokescreen