to-have-a-bigger-fish-to-fry
/tə hæv ə ˈbɪɡ.ə fɪʃ tə fraɪ/ IELTSAcademic
idiom
To have more important problems or tasks to deal with. It suggests that a person should not worry about a small issue because they have something bigger to handle.
- She ignored the complaint; she had bigger fish to fry.
- Don't bother him now. He has bigger fish to fry.
- I can't argue about that today. I have bigger fish to fry.
Adinary Nuance
Use this idiom when you want to say someone has more important things to do than deal with a small problem. It is more vivid than "more important matters" and more informal than "higher priorities." Compared with "have other priorities," it sounds more conversational and a little dismissive. It often implies, "This issue is not worth my time right now."
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- Còn việc quan trọng hơn
- Spanish
- Tener cosas más importantes
- Chinese
- 有更重要的事
- Japanese
- もっと重要なことがある
- Korean
- 더 중요한 일이 있다
Etymology
This idiom comes from older English. It uses the image of choosing a larger fish, meaning a more important matter, instead of a small one.
Common phrases
have bigger fish to fryshe has bigger fish to fryI've got bigger fish to fry
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is 'have bigger fish to fry' formal or informal?
- It is informal. Use it in speech, emails to colleagues, or casual writing, not formal reports.
- Is this phrase rude?
- It can sound dismissive if used about another person's concern. It is usually fine when talking about yourself.
- Can I say 'have a bigger fish to fry'?
- The common idiom is usually 'have bigger fish to fry.' The article 'a' is not normally used.
- What does it mean in business English?
- It means someone is focused on a more important issue or goal right now.