# flog a dead horse

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/flog-a-dead-horse
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more; to attempt to arouse fresh interest in something that is either hopeless or already settled.

## Examples

- Stop arguing — you're flogging a dead horse.
- The manager kept pushing the old marketing plan, but everyone knew he was flogging a dead horse.
- Years after the scandal had faded from public memory, the journalist continued to flog a dead horse, writing article after article that few bothered to read.

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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.