ENGLISH
REFERENCE

talk to a brick wall

idiom
Meaning

To be completely ignored or disregarded by someone, as if speaking to an inanimate object.


Examples
SIMPLE

Explaining the rules to him is like talking to a brick wall.

CONTEXTUAL

I tried to convince my boss to change the schedule, but it felt like talking to a brick wall.

COMPLEX

Despite her passionate arguments for reform, she realized she was talking to a brick wall, as the committee had already decided to ignore her input.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    all talk and no cider

    All talk and no results.

  2. 02

    back to the wall

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

  3. 03

    balls to the wall

    With maximum effort or commitment.

  4. 04

    bang one's head against a brick wall

    To waste effort on a futile project.

  5. 05

    big talk

    Statements which are boastful or exaggerated.

  6. 06

    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.

  7. 07

    bounce off the walls

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

  8. 08

    break the fourth wall

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

Last updated April 17, 2026