hit a wall

Reach your limit

To hit a wall is to reach a point where progress becomes impossible or extremely difficult.

The metaphor suggests forward motion suddenly blocked by an immovable obstacle.

Athletes hit a wall when their bodies give out; projects hit a wall when funding dries up or momentum stalls.

I was making good progress on the thesis, then I just hit a wall.

Related

stymie · roadblock · burnout · burn out · plateau · defeat · stuck · bottleneck · overtraining · exhaustion · energy crash · standstill · bonk · out of gas · running on empty · spinning wheels · losing steam · frustration

Categories
Opposites
progress/momentum

hit a wallbreakthrough

Sudden important advance

break through · gain momentum · make headway · surge ahead · forge ahead

obstacle encounter

hit a wallbreak through

Surmount an obstacle suddenly

overcome · surmount · crack the code · turn the corner · push past

energy/capacity

hit a wallrecharge

Restore electrical capacity

rally · bounce back · revive · hit one's stride · power up

Family

hit, wall, hitting, walls, hits, wallop, walled, hitter, walloping

Familiarity
Top 50,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G