howl at the moon
To spend considerable time and effort fruitlessly in a hopeless endeavor.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Complaining about the weather is just howling at the moon.”
“He spent years trying to change the company policy, but he was just howling at the moon.”
“The activist realized that protesting against the inevitable tide of progress was merely howling at the moon.”
From the stereotypical behaviour of wolves in folklore, which are depicted as raising their voices toward the lunar disk. The image has endured as a representation of futile or irrational effort, though the animal is merely communicating with its pack.
- 01
ask for the moon
To claim or desire something that one cannot have.
- 02
blue moon
A long time.
- 03
hang the moon
To place the moon in the sky: used as an example of a superlative act attributed to someone viewed with uncritical or excessive awe, reverence, or infatuation.
- 04
many moons ago
A (very) long time ago.
- 05
once in a blue moon
Very rarely; very infrequently.
- 06
see the dark side of the moon
To do or experience something exceedingly difficult or rare.
- 07
the moon on a stick
All that one could desire, especially as an unreasonable demand; everything.
- 08
think one hung the moon
To consider or think of someone to be extraordinary or exceptional.
Last updated August 10, 2026