# carry coals to Newcastle

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/carry-coals-to-newcastle
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To do something that is unneeded or redundant.

## Examples

- Bringing extra food to a feast is like carrying coals to Newcastle.
- Offering advice to an expert on their own subject is just carrying coals to Newcastle.
- By attempting to lecture the seasoned historian on the nuances of the revolution, the student was merely carrying coals to Newcastle.

## Origin

Newcastle upon Tyne (in England) was a major coal-exporting city, so sending coal there would be pointless.

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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.