Phrase guide

one's bark is worse than one's bite

phrase · 1 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.

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Pronunciation

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1

phrase

Meaning 1

One acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless.

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

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: հաչան շունը չի կծում (hačʻan šunə čʻi kcum) — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Chinese Mandarin: 刀子嘴豆腐心 (dāozi zuǐ dòufu xīn) — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Chinese Mandarin: 善吠的狗很少咬人 (shàn fèi-de gǒu hěn shǎo yǎo rén) — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Czech: pes, který štěká, nekouše — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Dutch: Blaffende honden bijten niet — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Esperanto: ŝelo estas pli malbona ol via mordo — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Finnish: haukkuva koira ei pure — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • French: chien qui aboie ne mord pas — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Galician: can ladrador, pouco mordedor — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • German: Hunde, die bellen, beißen nicht — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Greek: σκύλος που γαβγίζει δεν δαγκώνει (skýlos pou gavgízei den dagkónei) — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Greek: σκυλί που γαβγίζει δεν δαγκώνει (skylí pou gavgízei den dagkónei) — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Italian: cani che abbaia non morde — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Japanese: 弱い犬ほどよく吠る (yowai inu hodo yoku hoeru) — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Luxembourgish: Hënn, déi billen, bäissen net — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Polish: pies, który dużo szczeka, nie gryzie — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Portuguese: cão que ladra não morde — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Romanian: câinele care latră mult, mușcă rar — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Russian: ла́ющая соба́ка не куса́ет (lájuščaja sobáka ne kusájet) — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Spanish: perro ladrador, poco mordedor — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Spanish: perro que ladra no muerde — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless
  • Swahili: mbwa abwekae haumi — one acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless