a big fish in a small pond
noun phrase
chiefly US
: a person who is very well known or important in a small group of people but who is not known or important outside that group
In school he was a big fish in a small pond, but once he moved to the city he was just another struggling actor.
Examples of a big fish in a small pond in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tiafoe—who signed with Lululemon back in January, becoming the brand’s biggest tennis star—echoed the sentiment of wanting to be a big fish in a small pond rather than a medium-sized fish in a big pond.
—
Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“A big fish in a small pond.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20big%20fish%20in%20a%20small%20pond. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share