Phrase guide

bigger fish to fry

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A much more pressing issue to attend to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Someone else needs to figure out the menu for the going-away party. I have bigger fish to fry.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A higher-valued result or target to reach.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

An augmentative of other fish to fry.