rack one's brain

Verb CEFR C1

Definitions

To struggle to think of or remember something.

Equivalents

Españoldevanarse los sesos romperse la cabeza

Françaisse casser la tête se creuser la cervelle se creuser la têtese creuser les méninges

Deutschsich den Kopf zerbrechen

13 more languages

Catalàescalfar-se el cap

Češtinalámat si hlavu

Esperantocerbumi

Suomimiettiä päänsä puhki

Magyartöri a fejét

Íslenskabrjóta heilann

Italianoarrovellarsi lambiccarsi il cervello scervellarsispremersi le meningi

日本語知恵を絞る脳漿を絞る

Nederlandszich suf piekeren

Polskiłamać sobie głowę zachodzić w głowę

Portuguêsquebrar a cabeça

Русскийлома́ть го́лову

Türkçekafa patlatmak

Examples

“I have ⟳ been racking my brain all day trying to think ⟳ of a birthday present ⟳ for her.”

“Let’s face ⟳ it – math isn’t for everyone. If you’re done racking your brains over a question ⟳ based on quadratic equations, differential calculus, or even lengthy word problems, and can’t for the life of you figure ⟳ out what’s what, then perhaps it’s time you let ⟳ ChatGPT take ⟳ up the role of a home tutor.”

CEFR level

C1

Advanced
This word is part of the CEFR C1 vocabulary — advanced level.

See all C1 English words →

See also

rack out rack up racked racked in racked off racked one's brain

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