tread water

1. Expend effort that maintains one's status but does not make much progress toward a goal, as in He was just treading water from paycheck to paycheck. This idiom alludes to the term's literal meaning, that is, “keep one's head above water by remaining upright and pumping the legs.”

Example Sentences

This lopsided pattern means that efforts to promote corporate accountability at best tread water, while industry victories regularly reshape the legal landscape.

From Slate

Roberts won’t say this publicly, but the Dodgers just have to tread water until they are whole.

From Los Angeles Times

In the meantime, the Dodgers will have to continue to tread water.

From Los Angeles Times

Would Liverpool tread water or even go backwards for a season or two while his successor settled into the job?

From BBC

She believes much of the evidence and options on how to reform adult social care are already known and worries that "continuing to tread water until a commission concludes will be at the detriment of people's health and well-being".

From BBC