idiom
Big Fish in a Small Pond
big FISH in uh SMAWL POND
/bɪɡ fɪʃ ɪn ə smɔːl pɒnd/Listen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
BigFishinaSmallPond
Dictionary meaning
A person who is highly influential or important within a small or limited community but who would be far less significant in a larger environment.
Examples
- He was a big fish in a small pond at his hometown bank, but struggled after moving to Wall Street.
- Some politicians prefer being a big fish in a small pond to the anonymous crowd of a national stage.
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