Are you looking for a way to describe the impossibility of finding something you lost or need to find? You could say you're "finding a needle in a haystack." Going to the hassle of wasting time and effort on the task is pointless. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The expression "finding a needle in a haystack" means that you have a very challenging task of locating something in a wide search field. There is little chance of finding what you're looking for, and you should reconsider allocating resources to the task.
You can use the expression when you're trying to tell other people that you think the outcome of finding what you're looking for is slim. It is a discouraging phrase and saying it means that you have already given up on the chance of finding it before you start.
Finding a needle in a haystack is next to impossible because it is so thin, shaped like a piece of straw, and sinks deep into the stack where it's challenging to see. Thus, using this comparison means that there is little chance of your search plan working out.
Example Usage
“I dropped my car keys somewhere in the sand at the beach. I spent three hours looking for them but couldn’t find anything. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack at this point.”
“Good luck with finding that invoice. I spent four hours going through the client files yesterday and found nothing. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”
“I’m trying to find this guy I met at the bar last night on Facebook. There are so many people with his name that it's like finding a needle in a haystack.”
“You’re never going to find the right employee among all these candidates. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”
“Trying to look for your glasses in all that mess will take forever. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”
Origin
The expression “finding a needle in a haystack” is nearly 500 years old. The earliest written record of the expression goes back to 1532. Thomas More published a series of works around the time, with a variation of the expression appearing as follows.
“To go looking for a needle in a meadow.”
The earliest version of the modern saying appears in 1834 in “The Complete Works of Washington Irving,” where it appears as follows.
“If I want to find any particular article, it is, in the language of a humble but expressive saying, — ‘looking for a needle in a haystack.’”
Phrases Similar to Finding a Needle in a Haystack
- A wild goose chase.
- A pointless task.
- Hard to find.
Phrases Opposite to Finding a Needle in a Haystack
- There it is.
- An easy find.
What is the Correct Saying?
- A needle in a haystack.
Ways People May Say Finding a Needle in a Haystack Incorrectly
The phrase has nothing to do with needles or haystacks. It’s a way of saying you’re having difficulty finding something. The “haystack” is a wide field or area that makes it easy to lose something. The needle is the object you lost in the area.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Finding a Needle in a Haystack
You can use the expression “finding a needle in a haystack” when you’re trying to describe an impossible task that will take a lot of time and resources to complete. Even if you dedicate these resources, there is no guarantee you will get the result you want. It describes a task that is impossible to complete and a waste of time and energy.
The saying suits professional and social use. You can use it at work to describe the fruitless task of going through thousands of client files. You could use it at home to explain that you dropped your keys somewhere in the yard and you’re having trouble finding them.