have bigger fish to fry

Meaning

This idiom means to have more important, interesting, or urgent matters to attend to than the one currently being discussed. It is used to dismiss minor problems or trivial tasks in favor of larger priorities. The tone is casual, sometimes slightly dismissive, but very common in daily life and business contexts.

Examples

• I'm not going to worry about a ten-dollar fee; I have bigger fish to fry.

  I'm not going to worry about a ten-dollar fee; I have bigger fish to fry.

• The police didn't arrest the jaywalker because they had bigger fish to fry.

  The police didn't arrest the jaywalker because they had bigger fish to fry.

• Don't waste your time arguing with him online; you have bigger fish to fry.

  Don't waste your time arguing with him online; you have bigger fish to fry.

• We can't focus on the website color right now; we have much bigger fish to fry.

  We can't focus on the website color right now; we have much bigger fish to fry.

• She decided to ignore the minor office gossip because she had bigger fish to fry.

  She decided to ignore the minor office gossip because she had bigger fish to fry.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I can't help you with this small task because I have larger meat to cook.

  ✓ I can't help you with this small task because I have bigger fish to fry.

  Idioms are fixed; you cannot substitute 'fish' with 'meat' or 'fry' with 'cook'.

• ✗ He has a bigger fish to fry.

  ✓ He has bigger fish to fry.

  The noun 'fish' is used here in its plural form without an indefinite article ('a'). Do not say 'a bigger fish'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I won't stress over this tiny typo; our team has ___.

  💡 More important problems to solve.

  Show answer

  bigger fish to fry

• Why are you focusing on minor details when we ___?

  💡 Have much more urgent priorities.

  Show answer

  have bigger fish to fry