What Does "Like Pulling Teeth" Mean? (よく使う英語慣用語句） -N0.518-

What Does "Like Pulling Teeth" Mean?（よく使う英語慣用語句）

Introduction

Have you ever tried to get someone to do something they really didn’t want to do? Or struggled to get even a simple answer from someone? In English, we describe those kinds of frustrating situations as “like pulling teeth.”
It’s a colorful idiom that native speakers use often when something feels much harder than it should be.

1. What Does "Like Pulling Teeth" Mean?

The phrase “like pulling teeth” means that something is extremely difficult, unpleasant, or frustrating—especially when dealing with people who are being uncooperative or resistant.
The image it brings to mind is of having a tooth pulled out at the dentist—a painful and uncomfortable experience. So when someone says, “It was like pulling teeth,” they mean it was that hard or unpleasant.

2. When to Use It

This phrase is most often used in situations where you're trying to get someone to do something (or give information), and they are reluctant, stubborn, or slow to respond.

Example:
A: How did the interview go?
B: Not great. Getting him to answer even basic questions was like pulling teeth.

3. 日本語の同じような表現

この表現は、日本語で言う「骨が折れる」「やらせるのが一苦労」「嫌がる人を無理に動かす」に近いです。誰かに非協力的な態度を取られたり、進めるのがとても大変な仕事に直面したときに使えます。

Conclusion

Next time you’re in a situation where progress feels slow, difficult, or just plain exhausting, try using the phrase “like pulling teeth.” It’s a vivid, relatable way to describe frustration—especially when others aren't making things any easier.

Understanding idioms like this helps you sound more natural in English and adds color to your everyday conversation. So keep learning them—and don’t worry, it won’t be like pulling teeth!

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