preach to deaf ears

verb

To attempt to persuade a party that does not wish to listen or cannot be altered in its conviction.

Similar
like talking to a wall
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Meanings

verbpreach to deaf ears (third-person singular simple present preaches to deaf ears, present participle preaching to deaf ears, simple past and past participle preached to deaf ears)

present singular third person preaches to deaf ears · participle present preaching to deaf ears · participle past preached to deaf ears · past preached to deaf ears

  1. idiomaticTo attempt to persuade a party that does not wish to listen or cannot be altered in its conviction.

    Roosevelt was tired of preaching to deaf ears. He was ready to try something else.

    2002, Edward M. Bennet, Separated by a Common Language: Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Anglo-American Relations, 1933-1939, Writers Club Press, →ISBN, page 126

    Synonyms: like talking to a wall

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo attempt to persuade a party that does not wish to listen or cannot be altered in its conviction.

Similar
like talking to a wall
Also see
cast pearls before swine

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 對牛彈琴 /对牛弹琴
  • 對牛彈琴 /对牛弹琴 (duìniútánqín)Translations
Finnish puhua seinille
  • puhua seinilleTranslations
French parler à un mur, parler à un sourd
  • parler à un murTranslations
  • parler à un sourdTranslations
Japanese 馬の耳に念仏
  • 馬の耳に念仏 (uma no mimi ni nenbutsu)Translations
Norwegian tale for døve ører
  • tale for døve ørerTranslations
Polish rzucać grochem o ścianę, rzucić grochem o ścianę
  • rzucać grochem o ścianęTranslations
  • rzucić grochem o ścianęTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

preach to deaf ears. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preach%20to%20deaf%20ears

MLA

“preach to deaf ears.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preach%20to%20deaf%20ears. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “preach to deaf ears,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preach%20to%20deaf%20ears.

Source: preach to deaf ears on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.