Quick answer: “Hit a Brick Wall” means reach a point where no further progress is possible.
Hit a brick wall — to reach a point where no further progress is possible; to encounter an obstacle that completely blocks forward movement.
Origin & History
The idiom comes from the literal image of running into or driving into a solid brick wall — a barrier that cannot be pushed through, climbed over easily, or broken down quickly. Brick walls have long symbolised impassable boundaries, and the phrase entered everyday English in the 20th century to describe any situation where progress suddenly and completely stops.
Unlike “dead in the water”, which implies permanent failure, “hit a brick wall” often describes a temporary but frustrating standstill. The person has hit an obstacle but may eventually find a way around it, over it, or through it with more time or effort. Idioms like this are the kind of expression documented in general reference works such as the Cambridge Dictionary, which record how figurative meanings develop in everyday English.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Context |
|---|---|
| We hit a brick wall trying to get planning permission for the extension. | Bureaucratic obstacle |
| The investigation hit a brick wall when key witnesses refused to testify. | Legal block |
| She hit a brick wall with her research when the data turned out to be incomplete. | Academic obstacle |
| Every time I try to contact the supplier, I hit a brick wall. | Communication barrier |
| The negotiations hit a brick wall over the question of intellectual property rights. | Business block |
| He hit a brick wall in his job search after six months of applications with no offers. | Career frustration |
Use It in Conversation
Dialogue Example
Tara: How’s the funding application going?
Liam: We’ve hit a brick wall. The grant body wants a co-funder, but we haven’t found one yet.
Tara: Let me reach out to my contacts — we’ll find someone.
How to Use It
The idiom is neutral to informal. It is typically used in the past or present perfect: “hit a brick wall”, “have hit a brick wall”. It describes a clear, sudden stop in progress, often due to bureaucracy, lack of resources, or external refusal.
Common Mistakes
Mistakes to Avoid
We hit a brick walls in the negotiations.
We hit a brick wall in the negotiations. — “Wall” is singular in this idiom.
She hit the brick wall with her project.
She hit a brick wall with her project. — Use the indefinite article “a”, not “the”.
Related Idioms
Practise This Idiom
Want to understand the grammar behind this? Explore our Grammar guides.
Quick Check: Hit a Brick Wall
2 questions — test what you just learned.
1. What does “Hit a Brick Wall” mean?
2. Complete the sentence: “We _____ trying to get planning permission for the extension.”