tempest in a teapot

noun phrase

: a great commotion over an unimportant matter

Examples of tempest in a teapot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web What’s the source of this latest tempest in a teapot? Andrew Torgan, CNN, 28 Jan. 2024 In short, this tempest in a teapot revealed far more about our current cultural anxieties, sensitivities, and suspicions than anything else. Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tempest in a teapot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tempest in a teapot was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near tempest in a teapot

Cite this Entry

“Tempest in a teapot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tempest%20in%20a%20teapot. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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