losing battle
12
5.1
- noun
:
batalla perdida
- We are fighting a losing battle here.
- fighting a losing battle
And I think that, you know, you can try to be funnier or more charming, but that's probably a losing battle.
- And I think that, you know, you can try to be funnier or more charming, but that's probably a losing battle.
- And I just felt like I was fighting a losing battle.
- But the reason that this is a losing battle and a really challenging way to measure your own success on social media platforms is something called fame scarcity.
- So right then we know that, you know, it's losing battle for him too.
- Spent my time playing the game where every single day was losing battle.
- So you're, you're fighting this, this losing battle.
- So she is just fighting a losing battle when out of nowhere a silver lasso appears, goes around the demon Titans poof the demon is gone.
Examples
-
I do try to organize, but it is a losing battle for me, so I just give up.
Blog text (22) -
They're fighting a losing battle and burning up the energy banks.
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I often feel like I'm fighting a losing battle.
-
I'm fighting a losing battle.
-
By this point, it had become clear to Gregory that he was fighting a losing battle.
Academic text (2009) -
Amy knew from experience that fighting God was miserable and a losing battle.
Fiction book (1991) -
I've been fighting a losing battle ever since she was 15.
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Then who's fighting the losing battle here?
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The mullahs are in a losing battle with human nature, and they know it.
Academic text (2002) -
Despite our efforts to reduce pollution, it feels like we're fighting a losing battle against climate change.
Synonyms
39
4.9
Something that has no chance of success
25
6.6
A difficult task that needs a lot of effort to succeed
11
5.3
A situation where every choice leads to a bad result
1
4.4
An attempt that does not get what you want
1
9.9
A risky attempt that is very unlikely to succeed
1
5.5
A failed attempt to beat an illness or other serious problem
Antonyms
How Hopeless
39
4.9
12
5.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines 'lose' and 'battle' in a straightforward way: a battle that is being lost, i.e. a struggle unlikely to succeed. This metaphorical use is directly compositional and common across languages (e.g. Spanish 'batalla perdida'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Losing battle paints the image of soldiers in a battle who are losing, being pushed back and unable to win. So, a 'losing battle' means an effort that is 'unlikely to succeed'.