Wild Goose Chase.
English
idiom
A useless search or effort with little chance of success, ultimately resulting in wasted time.
Trusted by1M+English learners & teachers worldwide
A useless search or effort with little chance of success, ultimately resulting in wasted time.
Trusted by1M+English learners & teachers worldwide
A search or an effort that wastes time because it leads nowhere.
When you go on a wild goose chase, you chase something you'll never find.
It's often used when someone is sent the wrong way or follows a bad lead.
"Fool's Errand"
—
A task that is completely pointless from the very beginning
"Chasing Rainbows"
—
Pursuing impossible or unrealistic dreams that can never be achieved
"Wild Goose Chase"
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A time-wasting search that leads nowhere, often due to misleading information
We spent two days chasing that bug to completely the wrong module.
Total wild goose chase — we need better logging systems next time.
I drove to three different stores looking for that one ingredient.
Sounds like a wild goose chase — was it even worth it?
I followed a shortcut that added an hour to my whole commute.
Classic wild goose chase — that app lies constantly.
