go around in circles

go (a)round in circles

To waste one's time and energy engaging in trivial, aimless, or futile activities and failing to make any progress as a result. I tried to get an outline drafted for my thesis, but my ideas were so jumbled in my head that I just kept going round in circles. The committee spent all afternoon trying to come up with a new PR proposal, but they went around in circles the whole time.See also: circle, go

go around in circles

BRITISH, AMERICAN or

go round in circles

BRITISHIf someone goes around in circles or goes round in circles, they achieve little because they repeatedly deal with the same point or problem. This was one of those debates which simply went round in circles. My mind was going around in circles.See also: around, circle, go

go around in circles, to

To keep trying but get absolutely nowhere. The idea behind this expression dates back to the time when it was first observed that persons who are lost tend to wander in circles and hence cannot ever reach their desired destination. Plato used the term figuratively (Charmides) for an argument that leads nowhere: “You drag me round and round in a circle.” See also run around in circles. See also: around, go