talking to a wall

Meaning

1. 1phraseidiominformalfigurative

   Speaking to someone who gives no response or shows no sign of listening or taking in your words.

   Grammar: Usually said as it is like talking to a wall, with like or feels like in front.

   Patterns

   • it's like talking to a wall
   • feel like you're talking to a wall

   I've explained the rules three times, but it's like talking to a wall.

   Trying to reason with my teenage son sometimes feels like talking to a wall.

   She gave up on the committee because it was just talking to a wall.

Common combinations

like talking to a wall

Arguing with him is like talking to a wall.

feel like talking to a wall

After an hour of silence, I started to feel like I was talking to a wall.

it's just talking to a wall

Complaining to customer service is just talking to a wall.

stop talking to a wall

I decided to stop talking to a wall and ask someone else.

seem like talking to a wall

Advice to the board seemed like talking to a wall.

Synonyms and how they differ

talking to a brick wall

This is the same idiom with an extra word that emphasizes how hard the other person is to reach.

fall on deaf ears

This describes words that are ignored, but it focuses on the words, not on the speaker's feelings of frustration.

banging your head against a brick wall

This stresses wasted effort and pain, not just being ignored.

Opposites

Word family

talk verb

to speak with someone

wall noun

a vertical structure that divides or encloses a space

stonewall verb

to refuse to answer or cooperate

Commonly confused: talking to a wall or talking to the wall?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “talking to a wall”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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