# sleeveless errand

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/sleeveless-errand
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Synonym of fool's errand.

## Examples

- Searching for the lost keys in the dark is a sleeveless errand.
- The manager sent the team on a sleeveless errand to find files that had already been deleted from the server.
- He realized too late that his pursuit of the impossible promotion was merely a sleeveless errand, leaving him with nothing but wasted time and frustration.

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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.