English idiom

herding cats

Register · Informal CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

trying to coordinate or control a group of highly independent people

Why this phrase?

Cats refuse to be herded; the phrase comes from the impossible task of managing a dispersed, independent group.

Example

“Getting three co-founders to agree is like herding cats.”

Dictionary details

Alternate forms

like herding cats

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

easier said than done

Something that sounds simple to do but is actually hard.

hang in there

to persevere and not give up despite difficulty

in a tight spot

in a difficult or dangerous situation

in hot water

In trouble or facing difficulty.

in the same boat

in the same difficult situation as other people

add insult to injury

make an already bad situation worse by adding humiliation or further harm

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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