tread water

Idioms  

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

It got kind of exhausting to tread water or balance on tiptoes while the rest of them planted their feet on the bottom.

From Literature

Fennell’s eye for image-making is her greatest directorial strength; it’s what keeps her films afloat even when their screenplays struggle to tread water.

From Salon

“And a more diverse set of sectors is helping broader averages like the S&P 500 tread water while near- and intermediate-term Tech dynamics play out,” he added.

From Barron's

“And a more diverse set of sectors is helping broader averages like the S&P 500 tread water while near- and intermediate-term Tech dynamics play out,” he added.

From Barron's

“Investors are rightfully looking for opportunities beyond the AI theme. And a more diverse set of sectors is helping broader averages like the S&P 500 tread water while near- and intermediate-term Tech dynamics play out.”

From Barron's