a storm in a teacup
/ə ˌstɔːm ɪn ə ˈtiːkʌp/INFORMAL · B2
Meaning
a lot of anger or worry about something unimportant
Examples
- 1The row over the office fridge was a storm in a teacup, and everyone forgot it by lunchtime.
- 2Don't worry about the angry comments online; it's just a storm in a teacup.
- 3The fuss about the new uniform turned out to be a storm in a teacup, and nobody complains now.
- 4The whole village was furious about the parking signs for a week, but it was a storm in a teacup.
- 5Was the argument between the two neighbours serious, or just a storm in a teacup?
Grammar
A countable noun phrase, usually after be, often with just or only. American English says a tempest in a teapot.
Similar in meaning
More idioms about problems and trouble
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →nip something in the budto stop a problem at an early stage before it growsa tough nut to cracka problem or person that is very hard to deal withgo pear-shapedto start to fail and turn out badlyopen a can of wormsto start dealing with something that causes many new problemsa vicious circlea situation where one problem causes another that makes the first worseface the musicto accept criticism or punishment for something you did
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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