Money & finance
a drop in the ocean
a tiny amount compared with what is needed
A drop in the ocean is a very small amount compared with the amount needed or the size of a problem.
Hear it in real life
Will one extra volunteer make a difference?
It may feel like a drop in the ocean, but every person helps.
The money I donated was only a drop in the ocean compared with the total cost.
The mistake everyone makes
Not: a drop from the ocean
Say: a drop in the ocean
The fixed expression uses “in,” not “from”; the drop is imagined as part of the ocean.
Build it
How it fits in a sentence.
be a drop in the ocean; seem like a drop in the ocean
Your turn: say it out loud
The money I donated was only a drop in the ocean compared with the total cost.
Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.
a drop in the ocean
a tiny amount compared with what is needed
“The money I donated was only a drop in the ocean compared with the total cost.”
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