# merry dance

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/merry-dance
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A useless waste of time resulting from a deception.

## Examples

- The store sent me on a merry dance to find a refund.
- The clerk sent me on a merry dance across the city, only to tell me the item was out of stock.
- After the bureaucracy led him on a merry dance through countless departments, he realized they had no intention of ever approving his request.

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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.