How do you say “Beat a dead horse” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is donner des coups d'épée dans l'eau, which literally means “to strike water with a sword”. English speakers use beat a dead horse to mean to waste energy by continuing to discuss, argue about, or try to change something that cannot be resolved or changed. French lacks a single idiom that perfectly combines the futility of an effort with the specific act of obsessively rehashing a settled topic. 'Donner des coups d'épée dans l'eau' conveys the complete futility of the action, while speakers often switch to phrases like 'remettre ça sur le tapis' when referring strictly to dead debates. It is informal, neutral and common in everyday French.
Closest natural French
donner des coups d'épée dans l'eau
/dɔ.ne de ku d‿e.pe dɑ̃ l‿o/
- Literal meaning
- “to strike water with a sword”
- Register
- informal, neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
75 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
The English idiom "beat a dead horse" (or "flog a dead horse") relies on vivid, gruesome imagery to describe expending futile energy on something whose outcome is unchangeable, most often an argument or project that has run its course. French does not possess a direct rhetorical twin for this image; treating dead equines simply does not exist in standard French metaphor.
Instead, native French speakers choose their idiom based on nuance. When focusing purely on wasted, useless effort, they turn to "donner des coups d'épée dans l'eau" (striking water with a sword). When the context specifically involves rehashing an exhausted topic or continuing a pointless debate, modern speakers prefer "remettre ça sur le tapis" or the increasingly common colloquialism "remettre une pièce dans la machine".
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context3 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
remettre une pièce dans la machine
Literally: “to put another coin in the machine”
Informal and very common today for reviving an argument or drama that was already settled.
remettre ça sur le tapis
Literally: “to put that back on the tablecloth”
Used specifically for reopening or harping on a settled topic or grievance.
pisser dans un violon
Literally: “to piss in a violin”
Vulgarly captures wasting one's breath because nobody is listening.
Don't translate it literally
battre un cheval mort
It is an unidiomatic word-for-word calque of the English expression that sounds baffling or gruesome in French.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in French, not as expressions.
In context
English
The decision is final, so continuing to argue about it is just beating a dead horse.
French
La décision est prise, continuer à protester revient à donner des coups d'épée dans l'eau.
English
Stop beating a dead horse; we've already settled this topic three times.
French
Arrête de remettre ça sur le tapis, on a déjà réglé la question trois fois.
Related expressions
Last reviewed 2026-09-11