ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hit the wall

idiom
Meaning

To experience sudden fatigue as a result of glycogen depletion, e.g. when cycling.


Examples
SIMPLE

I hit the wall during my long run today.

CONTEXTUAL

After cycling for three hours without eating, I suddenly hit the wall and could not pedal anymore.

COMPLEX

The marathon runner had maintained a steady pace for miles, but she hit the wall at the thirty-kilometer mark and struggled to finish the race.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    back to the wall

    A very difficult situation with no beneficial options available for action.

  2. 02

    balls to the wall

    With maximum effort or commitment.

  3. 03

    bang one's head against a brick wall

    To waste effort on a futile project.

  4. 04

    blue wall of silence

    Strict secretiveness maintained by the members of a police force with respect to information which might be contrary to their interests, especially information concerning questionable police actions.

  5. 05

    bounce off the walls

    To be overly active relative to the enclosed space in which one is.

  6. 06

    break the fourth wall

    To apparently communicate with reality directly, such as when characters of literature comment on the existence of a reader.

  7. 07

    Chinese Wall

    An information barrier within an organization, designed to ensure internal confidentiality; frequently used to prevent conflicts of interest.

  8. 08

    climb the walls

    To behave in a distressed or frantic manner; to exhibit great agitation.

Last updated April 17, 2026