make a mountain out of a molehill
Meaning(s)
1. make a bigger deal of a situation than is necessary
Popularity
Medium
Professional
Medium
Social
How to Memorize
don't make a mountain out of a molehill
Analysis
The idiom to make a mountain out of a molehill means to make a bigger deal out of a situation than it deserves or to give significance to something that is unwarranted. When you make a mountain out of a molehill you exaggerate how bad or how severe the impact of something is.
Social Examples (Advance)
- Just because you did badly in one exam doesn't mean you are going to fail all of them. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.
- David apologised for pushing the man and asked him not to make a mountain out of a molehill by getting the police involved.
Professional Examples (Advance)
- Sales have been dipping slightly, but let's not make a mountain out of a molehill. We did better than expected in the previous quarter.
- I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill but there are a few errors in this document that call into question your expertise.