go (around) in circles

to be very active but not achieve anything.

His mind went in circles around the problem, but he couldn't seem to find a solution for it.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form talk in circles - speak a lot but without saying anything important:

Every time the mayor speaks he seems to talk in circles.

Related vocabulary: around and around, round and round, go around and around

• go to bat for
• go to bat for someone
• go to bat for something
• go to bed with
• go to bed with someone
• Go to blazes!
• go to earth
• go to great lengths
• go to great lengths to
• go to great lengths to do something
• go to great pains
• go to great pains to do something
• go to ground
• go to head
• go to hell
• Go to hell!
• go to hell in a handbasket
• go to hell in a handcart
• go to pieces
• go to pot
• go to rack and ruin
• go to see a man about a dog
• go to seed
• go to show
• go to show something