like pulling teeth
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Having difficulty in getting a person or item to act in a desired fashion; reference to a difficult task.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Imported from Wikipedia “English-language idioms” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29), pending review. Figurative class: Simile (PIE-English corpus, CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31).
Common questions
What does “like pulling teeth” mean?
Having difficulty in getting a person or item to act in a desired fashion; reference to a difficult task.
Is “like pulling teeth” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.