hamster wheel
To cycle fruitlessly.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I feel like I am stuck on a hamster wheel at work.”
“He realized he was on a hamster wheel, working long hours every day but never actually finishing his projects.”
“The constant cycle of repetitive tasks left her feeling trapped on a hamster wheel, unable to make any meaningful progress toward her long-term goals.”
- 01
big wheel
A person with a great deal of power or influence, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.
- 02
break the wheel
To end a pattern of oppression, inequality, injustice, or abuse.
- 03
fifth wheel
Anything superfluous or unnecessary.
- 04
grease the wheels
To create conditions likely to produce or hasten favorable future developments.
- 05
hell on wheels
A situation that is tough, aggressive, lawless, and wild.
- 06
reinvent the wheel
To do work unnecessarily when it has already been done satisfactorily by others; to attempt to devise a solution to a problem when a solution already exists.
- 07
set of wheels
A car.
- 08
set one's shoulder to the wheel
Synonym of put one's shoulder to the wheel.
Last updated August 10, 2026