THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Have other fish to fry
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
Have more important things to do.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- I’m not joining that argument; I have other fish to fry.
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.
I’m not joining that argument; I ________.
Show the answer
Have other fish to fry — Have more important things to do.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Have other fish to fry” about your own life.
Check your sentence
Does your sentence match this meaning?
Have more important things to do.
Compare: I’m not joining that argument; I have other fish to fry.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use this informal expression when choosing not to spend time on a less important matter. It may sound dismissive if you use it about something another person values.
More examples in context
- We had other fish to fry, so the minor formatting changes had to wait.
- She has other fish to fry this week, including preparing for her final exam.
Usage note
“Have bigger fish to fry” is another form. The expression refers to priorities and does not involve actual cooking. A polite explanation of your priorities may be clearer in a formal message.
A short conversation
A: Are you going to reply to every comment on the draft?
B: Not today. I have other fish to fry before the deadline.
A: We can deal with the minor comments tomorrow.
One more practice question
What does someone usually mean by “I have other fish to fry”?
A. They have no other priorities at all.
B. They have more important matters to deal with.
Check your answer
B. The speaker is putting other matters ahead of the current one.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.