Big Fish in a Small Pond (Idioms)

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Welcome to English in a Minute!

A pond is a small body of water. They often have fish in them. So, what could this mean?

Big Fish in a Small Pond

Speaker A: Jonathan, Jackie got a promotion! But it’s in New York City.
Speaker B: Um, what do you mean by “but?” That sounds great!
Speaker A: She lives in a small town and likes being a big fish in a small pond.
Speaker B: That’s true. New York City is definitely not a small pond.

A “big fish in a small pond” describes a person who’s considered important within a small group. Some people like feeling this way. But be careful. This expression can be an insult.

And that’s English in a Minute!

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*This article has been edited and reprinted from VOA Learning English with permission from Voice of America (VOA) for use in English language materials.