# beat one's brain

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/beat-ones-brain
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To struggle to think or remember something.

## Examples

- I am beating my brains to remember his name.
- She beat her brains all morning trying to solve the difficult math problem for her homework.
- After beating his brains for hours to recall the elusive detail, he finally realized the answer had been in his notes all along.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.