Rotherham, more or less safe from relegation despite their pre-season 17 point penalty, carved out a string of chances but floundered as the visitors put up the shutters and showed why they have just one defeat in their last 21 league outings.
Rotherham, with ten points from their previous four games, had the better of a tight first half.
Ben Hamer saved at the second attempt after a searing early run from Mark Hudson followed by a shot that troubled the keeper.
And when Jamie Green threaded a pass that found Drewe Broughton, the striker's shot on the turn was easily held by Hamer.
Hamer rashly galloped out of his area to challenge Broughton and came off worse as he was floored as the header trickled dangerously close to the unguarded net.
Brentford's League Two top scorer Charlie MacDonald was kept quiet but when an opportunity arrived in the first half his hasty effort ran wide.
Strike partner Jordan Rhodes was just as wasteful when a free-kick from John Halls sent him into the area but he scuffed his angled effort and Andy Warrington gathered gratefully.
Two late free-kicks on the edge of the area handed the home side chances but Jamie Green's curling shot was straight at Hamer and after the second Broughton headed over.
Green went close to breaking the deadlock after 62 minutes when the home side were handed another free-kick .
Ryan Dickson palmed the ball just outside the area and earned a yellow card and from the resulting free-kick, Green curled a sweet shot that dipped just over Hamer's bar.
But Brentford came close to sealing a win with a rare second-half chance. A long-range shot from Sam Wood curled dangerously and Warrington finger-tipped the effort around the post.
Wood's cross in from the resulting corner saw sub Nathan Elder's looping header go just over.
Rotherham might have snatched a winner after 77 minutes when Jamie Clarke cut in from the left and lashed fierce shot that brought a fine diving save from Hamer before Elder was stretchered off with a fractured cheekbone.