whack a mole
A situation where a problem keeps recurring or new problems appear as soon as one is solved, making the task feel endless and frustrating.
“Trying to delete these spam emails is like playing whack a mole because they just keep coming back.”
“The IT department is exhausted from playing whack a mole with the various software bugs that emerged after the latest system update.”
“Regulatory bodies often find themselves in a game of whack a mole as they attempt to close tax loopholes that are immediately replaced by new, more sophisticated financial instruments.”
first recorded 20th c.
The expression comes from an arcade game called Whac-A-Mole, first produced by Creative Engineering, Inc. in 1976. In the game, players use a mallet to hit mechanical moles that pop up randomly from holes. As soon as the player hits one mole, others appear elsewhere, creating a repetitive and frantic cycle that serves as a metaphor for modern task management and troubleshooting.
Last updated September 28, 2026