tilt at windmills

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/tɪlt ət ˈwɪndˌmɪlz/
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To fight an enemy or threat that exists only in one’s imagination.
Practice using tilt at windmills in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • The senator keeps tilting at windmills, blaming a threat no one can find.
  • He spent years tilting at windmills while the real problem went untouched.
  • Are we tilting at windmills by treating a rumor as a conspiracy?
  • The report shows that our critics were tilting at windmills.
  • Instead of inventing enemies, stop tilting at windmills.

Similar words

chase nonexistent threats
fight imaginary enemies
battle phantoms

Meanings

Imaginary opponent

conflict
literary
To spend effort attacking a supposed enemy that is not actually there.

Examples

  • The senator keeps tilting at windmills, blaming a threat no one can find.
  • The report shows that our critics were tilting at windmills.
  • Are we tilting at windmills by treating a rumor as a conspiracy?
  • He spent years tilting at windmills while the real problem went untouched.
  • Instead of inventing enemies, stop tilting at windmills.

Similar words

fight imaginary enemies
battle phantoms
chase nonexistent threats

Etymology

The image comes from Cervantes’s Don Quixote, whose hero attacks windmills after taking them for giants.

FAQ

What does tilt at windmills mean?

To tilt at windmills is to fight enemies or threats that are not real.

When is tilt at windmills used?

It is used when someone directs effort against an imagined danger while a real issue may be missed.

How does tilt at windmills differ from fight a real threat?

To fight a real threat addresses an existing danger. To tilt at windmills targets an imagined one.

How is tilt at windmills used in a sentence?

The campaign was tilting at windmills when it warned of a plot with no evidence.

Is tilt at windmills formal?

It is a literary allusion and often carries mild criticism.

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