55 Idioms for Never Going to Happen

Idioms for never going to happen capture those moments when all hope seems lost. These colorful expressions allow you to convey skepticism or certainty about an event that’s unlikely to occur. They add flair to your conversations and help articulate your feelings with creativity.

Understanding these idioms can enhance your communication skills, making your language more vivid and relatable. Whether you’re discussing improbable plans or unlikely outcomes, these expressions will give you the perfect way to express your doubts.

Idioms for Never Going to Happen

1. When pigs fly

Meaning: Refers to something that will never happen or is highly unlikely.
In a Sentence: I’ll believe he’ll clean his room when pigs fly.
Other Ways to Say: Not in a million years, when hell freezes over.

2. Once in a blue moon

Meaning: Indicates an event that occurs very rarely, almost never.
In a Sentence: She visits her hometown once in a blue moon.
Other Ways to Say: Rarely, hardly ever.

3. Not a chance

Meaning: Expresses that there is no possibility of something happening.
In a Sentence: Will he lend you money? Not a chance!
Other Ways to Say: No way, absolutely not.

4. A snowball’s chance in hell

Meaning: Suggests that something has very little likelihood of happening.
In a Sentence: He has a snowball’s chance in hell of winning that election.
Other Ways to Say: Slim to none, virtually impossible.

5. Fat chance

Meaning: Sarcastically implies that there is no chance of something occurring.
In a Sentence: You think I’ll go out with him? Fat chance!
Other Ways to Say: No chance in hell, unlikely.

6. Hell will freeze over

Meaning: Used to indicate that something will never happen.
In a Sentence: I’ll apologize to him when hell freezes over.
Other Ways to Say: Not in this lifetime, never going to happen.

7. Pipe dream

Meaning: Refers to a plan or idea that is unlikely to be realized.
In a Sentence: Her dream of becoming a rock star is just a pipe dream.
Other Ways to Say: Wishful thinking, unrealistic goal.

8. Chasing rainbows

Meaning: Suggests pursuing something unattainable or unrealistic.
In a Sentence: Trying to get him to change is like chasing rainbows.
Other Ways to Say: Going after the impossible, pursuing fantasies.

9. The moon on a stick

Meaning: Refers to a desire for something that is impossible to obtain.
In a Sentence: He wants the moon on a stick if he thinks I’ll do all that work.
Other Ways to Say: Asking for the world, wanting the impossible.

10. Wild goose chase

Meaning: Describes a futile pursuit or an aimless endeavor.
In a Sentence: Trying to find that rare book turned into a wild goose chase.
Other Ways to Say: Futile search, pointless quest.

11. A lost cause

Meaning: Refers to a person or thing that has no hope of success.
In a Sentence: Trying to convince him to change his mind is a lost cause.
Other Ways to Say: Hopeless situation, futile effort.

12. Dead in the water

Meaning: Indicates a plan or project that is completely ineffective or has no chance of success.
In a Sentence: Their proposal is dead in the water after that last meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Stalled, not moving forward.

13. Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning: Means pursuing a mistaken or misguided line of thought.
In a Sentence: If you think I’ll help you with that, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
Other Ways to Say: Misguided, looking in the wrong place.

14. A pipe dream

Meaning: Refers to a fantasy or unrealistic hope that will never materialize.
In a Sentence: Building a mansion on Mars is just a pipe dream.
Other Ways to Say: Fantasy, unattainable goal.

15. All dressed up and nowhere to go

Meaning: Describes a situation where someone is prepared for something that isn’t going to happen.
In a Sentence: I planned for the party, but it was canceled, leaving me all dressed up and nowhere to go.
Other Ways to Say: Ready but unneeded, prepared with no purpose.

16. Dead as a doornail

Meaning: Something that is completely lifeless or beyond hope.
In a Sentence: That project is dead as a doornail after the budget cuts.
Other Ways to Say: Completely finished, utterly hopeless.

17. Not in this lifetime

Meaning: Indicates that something is extremely unlikely or impossible.
In a Sentence: He’ll never apologize to her—not in this lifetime.
Other Ways to Say: Not a chance, no way.

18. The fat lady hasn’t sung

Meaning: Suggests that a situation is not yet over, but implies it will eventually end unfavorably.
In a Sentence: Don’t count him out yet; the fat lady hasn’t sung.
Other Ways to Say: It’s not over yet, we’ll see.

19. A dream within a dream

Meaning: Refers to a goal or aspiration that is unrealistic or unattainable.
In a Sentence: His plan to travel the world on a shoestring budget is just a dream within a dream.
Other Ways to Say: An illusion, a fantasy.

20. Like finding a needle in a haystack

Meaning: Describes an almost impossible task.
In a Sentence: Trying to find that lost file is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Other Ways to Say: Virtually impossible, a hopeless search.

21. A snowball’s chance

Meaning: Indicates very little chance of success.
In a Sentence: He has a snowball’s chance of winning the lottery.
Other Ways to Say: Slim chance, little hope.

22. On a wild goose chase

Meaning: Refers to a futile pursuit or search.
In a Sentence: We were on a wild goose chase looking for that missing report.
Other Ways to Say: Futile effort, pointless endeavor.

23. If wishes were horses

Meaning: Indicates that wishing for something doesn’t make it happen.
In a Sentence: If wishes were horses, we’d all ride to success.
Other Ways to Say: Dreaming won’t help, wishful thinking.

24. Like trying to catch smoke

Meaning: Describes an impossible or futile attempt.
In a Sentence: Trying to get him to commit is like trying to catch smoke.
Other Ways to Say: Impossible task, futile effort.

25. A cat in hell’s chance

Meaning: Indicates no chance at all.
In a Sentence: She has a cat in hell’s chance of passing that exam without studying.
Other Ways to Say: No chance, no hope.

26. A fool’s errand

Meaning: Refers to a task that is pointless or unlikely to succeed.
In a Sentence: Trying to convince him is a fool’s errand.
Other Ways to Say: Waste of time, useless task.

27. A pipe dream

Meaning: Refers to an unrealistic or fanciful hope.
In a Sentence: His ambition to become a movie star is just a pipe dream.
Other Ways to Say: Unrealistic goal, fantasy.

28. A castle in the air

Meaning: Describes a plan or idea that is impractical or unrealistic.
In a Sentence: Her plans for a luxury yacht are just a castle in the air.
Other Ways to Say: Daydream, unrealistic vision.

29. Building castles in the sky

Meaning: Refers to daydreaming or making unrealistic plans.
In a Sentence: He’s always building castles in the sky with his unfeasible ideas.
Other Ways to Say: Dreaming big, unrealistic plans.

30. A shot in the dark

Meaning: Refers to a guess or attempt that has little chance of success.
In a Sentence: His guess about the answer was just a shot in the dark.
Other Ways to Say: A wild guess, a lucky try.

31. Like barking up the wrong tree

Meaning: Pursuing a mistaken or misguided line of thought.
In a Sentence: If you think I’ll lend you money, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
Other Ways to Say: Misguided effort, wrong approach.

32. All hat and no cattle

Meaning: Refers to someone who talks a big game but lacks the ability or substance.
In a Sentence: His plans sound great, but he’s all hat and no cattle.
Other Ways to Say: All talk, no action.

33 A pie in the sky

Meaning: Refers to an unrealistic or fanciful idea.
In a Sentence: His proposal for a free vacation for everyone is just a pie in the sky.
Other Ways to Say: Unrealistic hope, fanciful idea.

34 A wild idea

Meaning: Refers to a thought that is impractical or unlikely to succeed.
In a Sentence: His suggestion to quit our jobs and travel the world is a wild idea.
Other Ways to Say: Outlandish thought, far-fetched idea.

35 Running in circles

Meaning: Describes the act of making no progress despite effort.
In a Sentence: We’ve been running in circles trying to solve this problem.
Other Ways to Say: Going nowhere, futile effort.

36 A long shot

Meaning: Refers to an attempt that has little chance of success.
In a Sentence: Winning the championship is a long shot for our team this year.
Other Ways to Say: Unlikely chance, slim possibility.

37 Like pulling teeth

Meaning: Describes a task that is very difficult or unpleasant.
In a Sentence: Getting her to agree to the plan was like pulling teeth.
Other Ways to Say: Very difficult, hard to do.

38. A lost ball in high weeds

Meaning: Refers to something that is hopelessly lost or confused.
In a Sentence: His explanation was a lost ball in high weeds.
Other Ways to Say: Completely lost, confusing situation.

39. Playing with fire

Meaning: Engaging in a risky or dangerous behavior that is likely to lead to trouble.
In a Sentence: Investing in that scheme is like playing with fire.
Other Ways to Say: Risky business, courting disaster.

40 A dead end

Meaning: Refers to a situation that leads to no progress or resolution.
In a Sentence: That line of questioning is a dead end.
Other Ways to Say: No way forward, unproductive path.

41. A bridge too far

Meaning: Refers to an attempt that is too ambitious or unrealistic.
In a Sentence: Asking for a raise after a month is a bridge too far.
Other Ways to Say: Overreaching, too ambitious.

42 A shot at the moon

Meaning: Refers to an attempt to achieve something very ambitious or unlikely.
In a Sentence: His goal of winning an Oscar is a shot at the moon.
Other Ways to Say: Ambitious goal, lofty aspiration.

43 Chasing shadows

Meaning: Pursuing something that is elusive or unattainable.
In a Sentence: Trying to catch up with trends is like chasing shadows.
Other Ways to Say: Pursuing illusions, chasing the unattainable.

44. Like a moth to a flame

Meaning: Refers to an attraction to something that is harmful or doomed to fail.
In a Sentence: He keeps going back to that toxic relationship like a moth to a flame.
Other Ways to Say: Drawn to danger, attracted to trouble.

45. A bridge that goes nowhere

Other Ways to Say: Pointless endeavor, unproductive effort.

Meaning: Refers to efforts or plans that lead to no productive outcome.

In a Sentence: His elaborate plans for the party felt like a bridge that goes nowhere.

46. A dream deferred

Meaning: Refers to a hope or ambition that has been postponed or abandoned.
In a Sentence: His aspirations to travel the world are just a dream deferred.
Other Ways to Say: Postponed ambition, unrealized hope.

47. Like trying to nail jelly to a wall

Meaning: Describes an impossible task or effort that is futile.
In a Sentence: Organizing that chaotic team is like trying to nail jelly to a wall.
Other Ways to Say: Impossible task, futile effort.

48. A straw in the wind

Meaning: Refers to a small sign that suggests a larger trend or outcome, often negative.
In a Sentence: This latest report is just a straw in the wind for what’s to come.
Other Ways to Say: Warning sign, early indication.

49. A house of cards

Meaning: Describes a situation that is unstable and likely to collapse.
In a Sentence: Their entire business plan is a house of cards, ready to fall apart.
Other Ways to Say: Unstable structure, fragile situation.

50. A fool’s paradise

Meaning: Refers to a state of happiness based on false hopes or beliefs.
In a Sentence: Living in denial about the project’s success is a fool’s paradise.
Other Ways to Say: Illusory happiness, false bliss.

51. A cold day in hell

Meaning: Indicates that something will never happen.
In a Sentence: She’ll agree to that proposal on a cold day in hell.
Other Ways to Say: Not a chance, never going to happen.

52. A wild ride

Meaning: Refers to an experience that is unpredictable and often chaotic.
In a Sentence: Planning that event has turned into a wild ride with many twists.
Other Ways to Say: Unpredictable journey, chaotic experience.

53. A flash in the pan

Meaning: Describes something that is initially successful but fails to last.
In a Sentence: His brief fame was just a flash in the pan.
Other Ways to Say: Short-lived success, fleeting moment.

54. The sky’s the limit

Meaning: Indicates that there are no limits, but often implies unrealistic expectations.
In a Sentence: He believes he can achieve anything; for him, the sky’s the limit.
Other Ways to Say: Unlimited potential, boundless ambition.

55. A bitter pill to swallow

Meaning: Refers to a difficult or unpleasant situation that must be accepted.
In a Sentence: Accepting that the deal fell through was a bitter pill to swallow.
Other Ways to Say: Hard truth, difficult acceptance.

Quiz on Idioms for Never Going to Happen

1. What does the idiom “When pigs fly” mean?

A) Something that will definitely happen
B) Something that will never happen
Answer: B) Something that will never happen

2. Which idiom suggests something occurs very rarely?

A) Once in a blue moon
B) Fat chance
Answer: A) Once in a blue moon

3. What does “Not a chance” express?

A) High possibility
B) No possibility
Answer: B) No possibility

4. Which idiom indicates something has very little likelihood of happening?

A) A snowball’s chance in hell
B) Chasing rainbows
Answer: A) A snowball’s chance in hell

5. What does “Fat chance” imply?

A) High probability
B) No chance at all
Answer: B) No chance at all

6. Which idiom means something will never happen?

A) Pipe dream
B) Hell will freeze over
Answer: B) Hell will freeze over

7. What does “Chasing rainbows” suggest?

A) Pursuing something realistic
B) Pursuing something unattainable
Answer: B) Pursuing something unattainable

8. Which idiom refers to a futile pursuit?

A) Wild goose chase
B) Barking up the wrong tree
Answer: A) Wild goose chase

9. What does “A lost cause” refer to?

A) A hopeful situation
B) A hopeless situation
Answer: B) A hopeless situation

10. Which idiom indicates a plan that has no chance of success?

A) Dead in the water
B) The moon on a stick
Answer: A) Dead in the water

11. What does “Barking up the wrong tree” mean?

A) Pursuing the right idea
B) Pursuing a mistaken idea
Answer: B) Pursuing a mistaken idea

12. What does “All dressed up and nowhere to go” describe?

A) Being unprepared
B) Being prepared for something that won’t happen
Answer: B) Being prepared for something that won’t happen

13. Which idiom refers to a fantasy that will never materialize?

A) A pipe dream
B) A snowball’s chance in hell
Answer: A) A pipe dream

14. What does “The moon on a stick” refer to?

A) Something easily attainable
B) Something impossible to obtain
Answer: B) Something impossible to obtain

15. Which idiom implies a pointless quest?

B) Wild goose chase
Answer: B) Wild goose chase

A) Lost cause

Conclusion

Idioms for never going to happen are a colorful way to express skepticism about unlikely events. They enrich our language, making conversations more engaging and relatable. By incorporating these idioms into your speech, you can convey your feelings with creativity and clarity, adding depth to your communication.

Carla Jones

Carla Jones is an expert blogger in English Language Teaching, sharing innovative strategies and insights to empower educators and enhance language learning experiences for students worldwide.