THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Make a mountain out of a molehill
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
To treat a small problem as though it were a very serious one.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- Let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill; we can correct that heading in a minute.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
Let’s not ________; we can correct that heading in a minute.
Show the answer
Make a mountain out of a molehill — To treat a small problem as though it were a very serious one.
Try your own sentence (optional)
Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Make a mountain out of a molehill” about your own life.
Check your sentence
Does your sentence match this meaning?
To treat a small problem as though it were a very serious one.
Compare: Let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill; we can correct that heading in a minute.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
Self-review only. Your sentence is not automatically marked, saved or submitted.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use this expression when a reaction seems much larger than a minor problem warrants. It can sound dismissive, so understand the person’s concern before using it.
More examples in context
- I made a mountain out of a molehill when I thought one late reply meant the whole plan had failed.
- She worried that she was making a mountain out of a molehill over a small spelling mistake.
Usage note
Keep both articles: a mountain and a molehill. The past form is made. Do not use the expression to minimise a genuinely serious problem or something whose consequences you have not checked.
A short conversation
A: There is one wrong date in the draft. Everything is ruined.
B: We can fix it before printing. Let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill.
A: You are right. I will correct it now.
One more practice question
Which reaction makes a mountain out of a molehill?
A. Calling a whole project a disaster because of one easily corrected typo.
B. Responding proportionately to a major confirmed failure.
Check your answer
A. The reaction makes a minor, easily repaired error seem much more serious.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.