THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
A drop in the ocean
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
An amount that is very small compared with what is needed.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- Ten extra chairs are a drop in the ocean when we need two hundred.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
Ten extra chairs are ________ when we need two hundred.
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A drop in the ocean — An amount that is very small compared with what is needed.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “A drop in the ocean” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
An amount that is very small compared with what is needed.
Compare: Ten extra chairs are a drop in the ocean when we need two hundred.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use this expression when comparing a small contribution or change with a much larger need. It can sound discouraging, so distinguish small scale from having no value.
More examples in context
- One short practice session is a drop in the ocean compared with the preparation this performance needs.
- The new shelving is only a drop in the ocean beside the library’s storage shortage.
Usage note
Keep a drop and the ocean. The American variation is a drop in the bucket. The idiom compares scale; a small contribution may still be useful even if it cannot meet the whole need.
A short conversation
A: Will these five boxes hold all the donated books?
B: They are a drop in the ocean. We need many more.
A: I will ask the other volunteers for boxes.
One more practice question
When is ten an appropriate example of a drop in the ocean?
A. When the total amount needed is ten thousand.
B. When the total amount needed is only five.
Check your answer
A. Ten is a very small amount compared with ten thousand, illustrating the gap between the contribution and the need.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.